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 became more and more interested in the historical trombone, eventually studying with Wim Becu. He covers repertoire from the alta capella, renaissance polyphony (with Currende, Weser-Renaissance, La Fenice, Oltremontano and the Huelgas ensemble), the typical repertoire for cornetts and trombones up to the early Romantic period. He has been a member of Concerto Palatino since 1989, and he plays regularly with orchestras such as Anima Aeterna, La Petite Bande, and Bach Collegium Japan. Simen Van Mechelen has worked on over 70 compact disc recordings, and is also responsable for the undertitling at the Flanders Opera since 1989.