Wilmaers, Koen (B)

Belgian percussionist Koen Wilmaers began his musical career at the age of seven at the music academy of Tienen. He later studied percussion and piano at the Lemmens Institute in Leuven, completing his studies with the Higher Diploma in Percussion and a Master’s degree in Music – both with highest distinction.

As a laureate of several competitions, including the Gemeentekrediet and Tenuto Competitions, he contributed to numerous radio and television recordings. He performed with many renowned orchestras and ensembles, including the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Flemish Radio Orchestra, the Beethoven Academy, I Fiamminghi, the Symphony Orchestra of the Royal Monnaie Theatre, I Solisti del Vento, Il Novecento, and the Prometheus Ensemble. He has also appeared as a soloist with several of these orchestras.

Since 1993, Koen Wilmaers has been principal timpanist with deFilharmonie. With this orchestra, he performs annually on the most important concert stages in Belgium and abroad. Concert tours have taken him to Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, and Japan. He is a permanent faculty member at the Royal Flemish Conservatory of Antwerp and at the Music Academy of Tienen. Together with Carlo Willems and Hubert Damen, he is currently touring Flanders with the theater production De tango van het blote kontje.