Koen Wilmaers started his music career at the age of 7 at the music academy of Tienen. He then studied percussion and piano at the Lemmens Institute in Leuven. He completed his studies with the higher Percussion diploma and Master in Music degree, both with the highest distinction. As a laureate in various competitions, including the Competition of the Gemeentekrediet and Tenuto, he cooperated in numerous radio and television recordings.

He has played in numerous prominent orchestras and ensembles. From 1993 to 2009 he held the position of solo timpanist (leader) of the Philharmonie (Antwerp Symphony Orchestra). Concert tours brought him to Germany, Austria, Italy, France, The Netherlands, Spain and Japan. He made various CD and television recordings with the Flanders Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. A selection from the oeuvre: Carl Orff’s complete Trilogy (live performance Frankfurt), Beethoven: all symphonies (conducted by Philippe Herreweghe), Sjostakovitsj Symphony 5 (conducted by Jaap Van Zweden), Brahms Piano Concertos 1 & 2.

He is currently timpanist of the international orchestra “Le Concert Olympique”, led by Jan Caeyers. With this orchestra he is, among other things, a regular guest at the Philharmonie in Berlin.

He also made various radio and TV recordings as a soloist, including Concerto for Marimba and Vibraphone by Darius Milhaud with the Flemish Radio Orchestra, TV recording (conducted by Fréderic De Vreese), Concerto for Marimba by Ney Rosauro with the Philharmonie (conducted by Koen Kessels), Sonata for 2 Pianos and Percussion by Béla Bartók with the Philharmonic recording Klara (conducted by Daniele Callegari), and Auftakte by Mauricio Kagel with Prometheus Ensemble, recording Concertzender Amsterdam.

Koen has worked with Carlo Willems in chamber music for many years. They were guests at festivals such as: Lesson 4 Saisons de Bruxelles (with Margaretha Argerich and Pollina Leschenko) November Music Festival (NL) (with Jan Michiels and Inge Spinette) Saintes Festival (FR), Bartók Happening (the Singel) (with Levente Kende and Nicolas Kende), OdeGand (Ghent) (with the production 'Slag').

Since 1995 he has been affiliated with the Royal Flemish Music Conservatory of Antwerp. Here he teaches percussion, orchestral literature and chamber music. He also conducts the percussion ensemble. Additionally Koen Wilmaers teaches at the music academy of Tienen (ART) and De!Kunsthumaniora Antwerp.