Dimitri Mestdag has been the solo English horn player of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra since 1996.
He graduated at the Conservatory in Brussels under Paul Dombrecht and Alex Van Beveren with master degrees in oboe, English horn and chamber music.
After masterclasses with Thomas Indermuhle, Alain Denis, Dominik Wollenweber, Ingo Goritzki and David Walter he completed his training at the Rotterdam Conservatory with Emanuel Abbühl.
Dimitri was prize winner of Belfius Classics in 1991 and in 1996 the very first laureate on English horn of the Tenuto competition.
He has inspired many composers to write for his favorite instrument, among others Frits Celis, Erik Desimpelaere, Kalevi Aho, Robert Groslot and Geoffrey Gordon.
In 2020, BIS Records released the world premiere recording of Kalevi Aho’s double concerto of English horn and harp.
Geoffrey Gordon’s English horn concerto ‘Mad Song’ was composed specially for him and was created by the Antwerp Symphony and recorded with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
Next to his activities as a musician and teacher he is, since 2010, artistic director of Arbanassi Summer Music, a unique chamber music festival in Bulgaria.
This festival has become one of Eastern Europe’s most innovative and high-profile festivals.
Dimitri leads a thriving English horn class at the Royal Conservatory of music in Brussels.