Simen Van Mechelen studied the philology of the romance languages at university before going on to study at the Royal Conservatory in Antwerp. After a period as a counter-tenor with such groups as Currende and the Collegium Vocale Ghent, he gradually got more and more interested in the historical trombone. He covers repertoire from the alta capella, renaissance polyphony, the typical repertoire for cornetts and trombones up to the early Romantic period.
He is a member of Les Cornets Noirs, Concerto Palatino (since 1989) and played with L’ Arpeggiata, Musica Temprana, Weser renaissance, Huelgas ensemble and Capriccio Stravagante Renaissance Orchestra. He plays regularly with orchestras such as De Nederlandse Bachvereniging, Pygmalion, Bach Collegium Japan, B’Rock, Akamus and Collegium Vocale. He founded Scorpio Collectief in 2009. Simen Van Mechelen has worked on over 100 compact disc recordings and is also responsable for the undertitling at the Flanders Opera since 1989.
