Born in Rotterdam, Arie van Beek was a percussionnist before turning towards orchestra conducting. After having been the Musical Director of the Orchestre d’Auvergne from 1994 to 2010, he was named Musical Director of the Orchestre de Picardie in 2011. Since 2013, he is also the Musical and Artistic Director of the Orchestre de chambre de Genève. He is the conductor in residence of the Doelen Ensemble in Rotterdam.

Regularly invited to conduct a large number of French and European orchestras, his repertoire goes from baroque music right up to contemporary composers whose works he champions.

Arie van Beek, a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, received the Medal of the City of Clermont-Ferrand in 2008, and was awarded the prestigious Elly Ameling Prize from the city of Rotterdam for his contributions to the artistic impact of the city over the last thirty years. In 2014, he was awarded the Erasmus prize of the city of Rotterdam, and he was promoted to Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters in 2017.