How Khadas is Empowering the Next Generation of Conductors

The La Maestra International Competition for Women Conductors, launched in 2019 by the Paris Mozart Orchestra and the Philharmonie de Paris, champions women conductors and supports their career growth. For its 4th edition in February 2026, Khadas joined as a Supporting Partner, providing technical support to the event.

When a technology company supports a classical music competition, the partnership can raise more than eyebrows, given that such events are usually backed by European foundations and banks. Yet in today’s world, with technology reshaping how music is produced and consumed, Khadas is able to introduce unexpected technological advantages to the event and those involved — enhancing musical practice and creative workflows. More importantly, the partnership is grounded in a shared belief: excellence arises from broadening access and providing equitable support.

A La Maestra participant leads the orchestra during the competition.

Empower rising conductors with audio equipment

Khadas has provided each participant with a Tea Pro, a portable DAC/amp designed to deliver professional-grade audio for use during the competition and beyond. By providing clearer, more detailed sound through wired headphones, Tea Pro enhances personal study, preparation, and creative work. As one of the most portable DAC/amps on the market, Tea Pro allows conductors to access hi-fi quality music with greater flexibility, whether at home, traveling or working outdoors, without relying on a studio environment.

La Maestra participants try out the Khadas Tea Pro portable DAC/amp.

Tea Pro connected to a phone and wired headphones.

Conductor Lamar Elias shares her experience:

“I am someone who likes to compare different mixes and the work of sound engineers, because I believe it is directly similar to our work as conductors. We are also confronted with recordings and have to give fast feedback. This device is small and portable, and can deliver great quality, allowing us to hear what we call a 3D sound, as well as the timbre and the color of the sound, which is exactly what we need as conductors to work with. I think it is very useful to have a small device like this to be able to give the best feedback without waiting to have studio sound or good speakers.”

Khadas is excited to offer technology as a resource for their craft, introducing many participants to portable DAC/amps for the first time and giving them a more convenient Hi-Fi listening experience.

Tech is not just an accessory in today’s musical institutions

The technical focus of this partnership is particularly significant as technology becomes increasingly central to music institutions’ workflows . Beyond live performance, orchestras and competitions now rely on digital tools for remote collaboration, repertoire preparation, high-resolution audio editing, digital archiving, etc.

Khadas’ solutions support these broader creative and operational workflows that surround music-making, going beyond providing high-quality audio to. The Khadas Mind Family has been deployed at the Paris Mozart Orchestra office. The Khadas Mind mini PC, together with the powerful graphics of Mind Graphics and the accurate audio of Tone 2 Pro, makes a versatile toolkit for tasks ranging from routine office work to video production.

Khadas Mind Family supports the Paris Mozart Orchestra’s daily workflows.

Supporting talent to scale

Talent alone is not enough if the system fails to provide opportunities, networks, and sustained guidance. This is why the competition is uniquely complemented by two years of professional support and mentoring for selected candidates. In addition, the competition has no age restrictions, ensuring that talent that might otherwise be overlooked thrives.

Khadas shares this commitment to system‑level support. Khadas offers extensive documentation and provides a vibrant global forum for Khadas staff, makers, developers, and hobbyists to learn and troubleshoot together. Looking ahead, Khadas plans to offer educational initiatives that lower the learning curve for new makers.

Empowering talent to create has also been at the heart of Khadas Mind’s design. After studying how creators work and identifying challenges such as interface continuity across environments, Khadas developed this unique mini PC to streamline creative processes.

Beyond conventional brand placement

Claire Gibault, La Maestra co-founder and co-director, captures the partnership’s intent:

“The support will directly empower the next generation of Maestras with world-class technology while reinforcing the La Maestra team’s ability and determination to create equal opportunities at the highest level.”

This collaboration goes far beyond a conventional brand placement. It reflects a strong alignment between Khadas and La Maestra, both in the areas of their work, and in their shared belief that excellence — whether musical or technological —  depends on who is empowered and how talent receives support.

By providing technical resources to the La Maestra platform and placing capable tools directly into the hands of artists shaping what audiences hear, this partnership contributes to a more inclusive classical music scene.

Photos by Emilie Hautier, Pauline Ballet, and PMO team & the Khadas Team