Biography

Born in the north of France, Lionel Speciale embarked on his musical journey with the piano at an early age. A few years later came the desire to play with the local band, which at the time was in need of horn players. Quickly, he began his musical studies in both piano and horn at the Douai Conservatoire, before advancing to the Paris Conservatoire under André Cazalet. He then pursued his master’s degree with Marie Luise Neunecker at the University of Music “Hanns Eisler” in Berlin.

Throughout his education, Dale Clevenger and Stefan Dohr played significant roles in shaping his musical journey. During this period, alongside performing with the French National Youth Orchestra, he was also part of the academies of both the Lucerne and Verbier Festival Orchestras.

After being appointed as principal horn at the Komische Oper Berlin, he went on to work with the Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, currently holding a position with the Bamberger Symphoniker.

As a guest artist, he has been invited to perform with orchestras such as the Berliner Philharmoniker, Staatskapelle Berlin, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio-France, Orchestre National de France, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic, among many others.

Lionel’s deep passion for chamber music led him to become a founding member of the Alma Wind Quintet, with whom he won the first prize at the Tomasi Wind Quintet Competition and the second prize at the New York Young Artists Competition. Furthermore, he has been invited to perform with the Berlin Philharmonic Horn Ensemble, the wind quintet formed by winners of the ARD Competition and regularly teaches chamber music across the globe. He has been a member of the Berlin Counterpoint Ensemble, winner of the 2013 Usedomer Musikpreis, plays with the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra, and is frequently invited by the prestigious German Brass.

Status as of 2025.