Bernd Künkele

Bernd Künkele was born in Kiel in 1964 and studied with Erich Penzel at the Cologne Music Academy and with Froydis Ree Wekre at the Oslo Music Academy. After graduating with distinction, he began a master’s degree course as a soloist with Marie-Luise Neunecker at the Frankfurt Academy of Music in 1992, completing this in 1996 with the concert diploma. Bernd Künkele was the winner of the International Competition “Città di Porcia” in 1991, the German Music Academy Competition in 1992 and the International Instrumental Competition in Markneukirchen in 1994, among others. He also received the Eduard Söring Prize in 1994. Since 1992 he has been principal horn of the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra; from 1998 to 2001 and 2008 to 2010 he was also a member of the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra.