Mannheim school
Lebrun was born in Mannheim. The well-known and celebrated oboe virtuoso (a contemporary described being "charmed by his divine oboe") played with the orchestra at the court of the Prince-Elector Carl Theodor in Mannheim. He started playing with the orchestra at the age of 12 and became a full member at the age of 15. His father, also an oboist of probably Belgian origin, worked from 1747 at the Mannheim court. He was a contemporary of Carl Stamitz and Anton Stamitz, and belonged to the Mannheim school.