Hansjörg Schellenberger started taking oboe lessons at the age of 13. He won first prize at the first German Youth Music Competition for Wind Instruments in 1965. In 1967, he entered Munich’s Musikhochschule, where he studied with Manfred Clement. He also studied contemporary music playing methods under Heinz Holliger. Schellenberger started his career as an oboist with the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1971 and won second prize at the ARD International Music Competition Munich (no first prize was awarded). He became solo oboist with the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1975, and in 1980, he was appointed solo oboist with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and held that position until 2001. In recent years, Schellenberger has been very active in conducting. He has served as chairman of the jury for the International Oboe Competition since its 4th competition.