Kevin Xiao

Kevin Xiao was born in 1984 in Changsha, China' Hunan Province. He began his trumpet study with Professor Songsheng Liu of Hunan Normal University in 1996. In 1998, he continued to study with Hong Xu, principal trumpet of Hunan Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Xiao was enrolled in the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) in 2002 with full scholarship under Professor Zhonghui Dai, principal trumpet of China National Symphony Orchestra. He graduated with the highest mark in 2006 and continued his master's degree at EOS where he served as the principal trumpet and received assistantship in 2006. In 2008, he was invited to join EOS to teach by conductor Yongyan Hu.Mr. Xiao has worked as the principal trumpet with China Youth Symphony Orchestra, China Youth Wind Symphony Orchestra, China Youth Opera Symphony Orchestra, Power Brass Quintet and Brass Dectet of CCOM. World famous conductors he has worked with include Seiji Ozawa, Zubin Mehta, Erich Kunzel, Joe Hisaishi, Yongyan Hu and Muhai Tang.

In March, May and October 2015, Xiao Kaiwen was invited by Tianjin Symphony Orchestra, National Center for the Performing Arts, Macao Orchestra respectively to play behind-the-curtain solo as the solo trumpeter in the performance of Symphony No.3 by Gustav Mahler and to play as the chief trumpeter in the performance of Symphony No. 5 by Gustav Mahler. All of these performances scored great success.

In 2014, Xiao Kaiwen went to Bangkok, Thailand with Hunan Symphony Orchestra to play the concerto for trumpet by Alexander Arutiunian at the invitation of the former prime minister of Thailand. The performance was immensely successful. In the same year, Xiao successfully recorded the concerto for trumpet composed by Franz Joseph Haydn at the accompaniment of EOS Orchestra at Beijing Music Hall. In June, Xiao went to Germany with Youth Symphony Orchestra of Central Conservatory of Music and gave a successful performance at Berliner Philharmonie. In November, Xiao made a performing tour in north America including the U.S. and Canada.
In 2013, Xiao Kaiwen successfully performed the concerto for trumpet by Alexander Arutiunian with EOS Orchestra at Beijing Music Hall.

In 2012, as the solo trumpet of Longmao Ensemble, he toured nationally and he founded EOS' Brass Quintet.

In 2011, he held master classes and gave performances with American trumpet player Charles Schlueter, principal trumpet of Boston Symphony Orchestra at China International Trumpet Conference in Shenyang.

He performed Maler' all nine symphonies with EOS in 2010 and was invited to play Turandot with China Central Opera House in Syria.

In 2009, his orchestral excerpts on Youtube was selected by London Symphony Orchestra. He went to Cairo with Central Opera House to perform Turandot at the same year.

Mr. Xiao played New Year Concert with Israel Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra under Zubin Mehta at the Great Hall of the People in 2008 and received very good comments from the conductor. At the same year, under his guidance, the first CD album of EOS' Brass Quintet was released.

In 2006, Mr. Xiao ended with 4th position at the competition by International Trumpet Guide and 1st position at the competition of National Brass Quintet at CCOM. He also gave performances under Seiji Ozawa in Beijing and Tianjin.

In 2005, Xiao Kaiwen won [ITG] scholarship and successfully performed trumpet dectet at Bangkok on behalf of China; in the same year, Xiao went to Germany to perform in European Youth Music Festival;
In 2004, Xiao Kaiwen won the merit award at national chamber music solo performing competition at Central Conservatory of Music;
In 2003, Xiao Kaiwen won the second prize in the brass quintet performing competition at Central Conservatory of Music;
In 2001 and 2002, Xiao Kaiwen won the first prize in succession at Yamaha instrumental music performing competition of Hunan Province.