Javier Azanza Ribes was born in Valencia, Spain. After completing his studies at the Conservatoire Supérieur de Castellón, he enrolled at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Munich to undertake a master’s degree with Raymond Curfs, Peter Sadlo and Franz Bach. In 2012, he was accepted into the prestigious Karajan Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

For two years, he performed regularly with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and took lessons with Rainer Seegers and Franz Schindlbeck.

After completing his studies in Germany, he became principal timpanist and solo percussionist with the Basque National Orchestra.

He is currently principal timpanist with the Orchestre de Paris and teaches at the Basque Country Conservatoire, Musikene, in San Sebastián.
He has performed with some of Europe’s most prestigious orchestras, including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Munich Philharmonic, the NDR Elbphilharmonie, the Bavarian State Opera and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, amongst others.