Xavier obtained a Bachelor’s Degree of Music from the University of Stellenbosch during 2011, with specialization in both solo bassoon performance, and orchestral conducting. After winning an orchestral audition at the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra (KZNPO) during December 2011, Xavier became one of the full-time bassoonist at KZNPO during January 2012.
During January 2013 and 2014 Xavier attended the Sasha Mäkilä International Conducting Master Class Series in Mikkeli, Finland. He later received an invitation from St. Michel’s City Orchestra in Mikkeli, Finland, to conduct a subscription concert during their Spring Season of 2014. The concert witnessed the Finnish premiere of UK composer Judith Bingham’s Bassoon Concerto no. 2, “Leonardo”, with Principal Bassoonist of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Harri Ahmas, as soloist. The concert also produced the international premiere of “Three Sonnets for String Orchestra” by renown South African composer, Roelof Temmingh.
During 2013, Xavier competed in the National Len van Zyl Conductor’s Competition in South Africa and was unanimously chosen as overall winner, favouring votes by all principal players in the orchestra and all six judges on the competition panel. The success of the Conductor’s Competition resulted in Xavier spending a month serving an intensive conducting internship, with world renowned Philadelphia Orchestra in U. S. A, and their Music Director Yannick Nezet-Seguin. During his internship, he had the opportunity to work with Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Christoph von Donyani (Sr.) and Andre Bureko. As a result of winning the conductor’s competition, Xavier completed further studies in the Advanced Orchestral Conducting Program at Northwestern University in Evanston, Chicago, under the experienced conductor and pedagogue Professor Victor Yampolsky.
Upon his return to South Africa, Xavier appeared as special guest conductor at the 10th anniversary of the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival. He conducted the South African premieres of both Ginastera’s Concerto for String Orchestra, and Paul Patterson’s Three Little Pigs, with South African composer Peter Louis van Dijk as narrator.
During 2016, Xavier was invited to the International Conductor’s Festival hosted in Danville, Kentucky, U. S. A, with the Piccadilly Symphony Orchestra, reigning from Manchester, U. K. During the Conductor’s Festival, Xavier conducted four symphonic orchestral performances, and was well received by the orchestra, leading to an invitation from PSO management for Xavier to conduct PSO in February 2017. The performance with PSO was Xavier’s U. K debut, and resulted in further engagements with the orchestra during June 2017 and possible further engagements.
Xavier was appointed as Lecturer of Orchestral Conducting Studies at University of Free State (since 2014), and held the position of Resident Conductor and Artistic Director of the Odeion School of Music (OSM) Camerata Orchestra (2014-2018) at the University of Free State. During 2017 and 2018, Xavier lead the OSM Camerata to international success by winning the Ictus International Music Competition hosted in Philadelphia, U. S. A. The orchestra received first prize in the category University/Conservatoire Orchestra in 2017 and 2018. The OSM Camerata is an orchestra which performs both contemporary and classical repertoire, frequently premiering compositions of well-known South African composers. During 2016, the OSM Camerata premiered the Concerto for Recorder and Harpsichord by one of South Africa’s leading composers, Hendrik Hofmeyr and during 2017, the Premier of the Clarinet Concertino by South African composer Keith Moss at the International Clarinet Extravaganza hosted in Bloemfontein.
Xavier has obtained a Masters Degree of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Free State during 2020, with a thesis (A Qualitative Study Exploring Verbal and Nonverbal Communication of an Orchestral Conductor). Xavier is also the newly appointed, Cape Town based, Music Director and Resident of the Mother City Orchestra. MCO will an orchestra which will be performing all genres of classical music, travelling extensively through South Africa, and the rest of the continent to delivering performances of operas, ballets, musicals and music from the standard orchestral repertoire, in collaboration with The National Theatre Organisation.