Steve Dugardin studied at the conservatories of Ghent and Antwerp. There he encountered Erik Van Nevel, who fired his enthusiasm for early music. He specialised in this field with the countertenor Ashley Stafford. Steve Dugardin collaborated in productions with inspiring conductors such as Sigiswald Kuijken, Jos van Immerseel, Ton Koopman, Gustav Leonhardt, Frans Brüggen and Philippe Herreweghe. As a soloist he often performs with ensembles such as the Ricercar Consort, the Clemencic Consort, Tragicomedia, Il Seminario, Les Arts Florissants, Il Fondamento, the Huelgas Ensemble, the Choeur de Chambre de Namur, Currende, Ex Tempore, La Petite Bande, Musica Antiqua Köln, the Dutch Bach Society, and Joshua Rifkin’s Bach Ensemble. A further asset is his wide experience in the field of theatre and opera. As a matter of fact early music is not his only source of inspiration: his passion for contemporary music resulted in the foundation of Touchant, a male quartet specialised in close harmony.