Trained at the Paris Conservatoire in Maurice Gendron's class and later at Yale University with Aldo Parisot, Xavier Gagnepain is unanimously considered one of the most accomplished musicians of his generation.

Following his success at prestigious international competitions such as those in Sao Paulo and Munich, Xavier Gagnepain embarked on a dual career as a soloist and chamber musician.

Since then, he has been invited to perform as a soloist with some of the most prestigious orchestras on the European scene (London Symphony Orchestra, Sofia Radio Orchestra, Moscow Soloists, etc.).

As a chamber musician, he has given concerts ranging from duets to sextets. Of particular note is his work as a member of the Quatuor Rosamonde, with whom he has an extensive discography that reflects the richness of their repertoire, which ranges from 18th-century Viennese music to contemporary works. His concert activity takes him regularly to the United States and the most important European concert halls, as well as to Asia. International critics have highlighted ‘the beauty of his sound’, ‘the authenticity of his style’ and ‘the refinement and elegance of his phrasing’.

As a soloist, his performances reflect his concern for stylistic integrity and fidelity to the musical texts he defends. His curiosity has always led him to explore repertoire beyond the usual and to passionately champion works written in our time, as well as those that have been forgotten too soon.

In 1996, Xavier Gagnepain was the first to perform in concert the complete ‘12 hommages à Paul Sacher’, considered the pinnacle of the contemporary repertoire for solo cello, which until then had been inaccessible.

Always passionate about teaching, he devotes a large part of his time to pedagogy. The reputation of his class at the CNR Boulogne-Billancourt and his numerous masterclasses led to a commission from the Cité de la Musique (Paris) for a book, which was published under the title ‘Du musicien en général... au violoncelliste en particulier’ and has been a resounding success.

For several years, Xavier Gagnepain was one of the teachers responsible for the postgraduate cello class at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Aragón, where he also worked with undergraduate students.