Ralph Bernardy, born on July 30, 1988 in Trier, began studying violin and piano at the age of seven, quickly embarking on his first compositional attempts. In 2006, he moved to the Conservatoire de Luxembourg, where he received his first composition lessons from Alexander Mullenbach.

After completing his Abitur, he studied composition with Wolfgang Rihm and music theory with Michael Reudenbach and Christian Kemper at the Hochschule für Musik in Karlsruhe from 2008–2014, graduating with distinction. During his studies, he composed numerous works for solo instruments, chamber ensembles, and orchestra. From 2014–2016, he pursued studies in the theory of early music at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel with Johannes Menke and Felix Diergarten.

Ralph Bernardy attended masterclasses and received instruction from Enno Poppe, Olga Neuwirth, Isabel Mundry, Georg Friedrich Haas, Bruno Mantovani, and Michael Jarrell.

As a composer, he collaborated with renowned soloists and ensembles such as Eduard Brunner, Barbara Maurer, Isao Nakamura, Kaya Han, Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Recherche, Thüringer Symphoniker, and the Badische Staatskapelle, among others.

Ralph Bernardy has taught ear training, harmony, and analysis at music universities in Karlsruhe, Trossingen, Essen, and Stuttgart. Since 2019, he has been a professor of ear training at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel.

His compositional style is characterized by high virtuosity and technical demands while maintaining a strong connection to tradition. He works in a stylistically versatile manner and is equally interested in both early and contemporary music. His oeuvre encompasses a wide range of advanced works — for some time with a special focus on pure, septimal tuning — as well as lighter arrangements.

Additionally, Ralph Bernardy has published theoretical texts on music from the 15th to the 20th centuries. He has authored two books: one on the musical aphorism in the Viennese School and another on counterpoint and temporal design in the allemandes of J.J. Froberger.