Von 1975 bis 2006 war er Mitglied des Zürcher Kammerorchesters, Stimmführer und regelmässiger Gastdirigent. 1982 gründete er das Kammerorchester "Kammersolisten Zürich" und ist ebenfalls ständiger Dirigent des Dübendorfer und des Witiker Kammerorchesters.
He was born in Antwerp in 1946 and studied violin, conducting and music theory at the Royal Conservatories of Gent and Antwerp. After further conducting courses in Holland and Salzburg, he completed his conducting training under the guidance of Juan Matteuci (New Zealand) and Dr Milan Horvat (Zagreb). Lilienthal's participation in the "Dimitri Mitropoulos International Music Competition" in New York was another milestone in his career.