Kurt Loebel was born as Kurt Loebl in Vienna, where he attended the Volkskonservatorium, and then studied violin at the Akademie fuer Musik of Vienna with Ernst Morawetz, from 1935 to 1938. During his studies he performed along with George Kreisler. Following the Anschluss, Loebel immigrated to the USA in 1939, where he has since resided.
As a young immigrant he took various jobs like telegram delivery boy, door-to-door salesman and temporary worker at Columbia Records. He got a scholarship at Juliard School of Music in New York in 1941. Loebel started his career with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and then he was first violin with the Cleveland Orchestra for fifty years (1947-1997), and first violonist with Symphonia Quartet.