Ralf Heiber is professor for Vocal Accompaniment for Song and Oratorio at the Music and Arts University in Vienna and also serves on the piano faculty of the Joseph Haydn Konservatorium in Eisenstadt. The son of a father who was in the diplomatic service, he was born in Berlin but grew up in Toronto, Caracas, Brasilia and Barcelona. He began studying the piano at the age of eight under the French pianist Monique Duphil and later studied with Maria Carbonel de Massiá while living in Barcelona. In 1983 he began his professional training with Roland Keller, first at the Academy of Music in Lübeck, and then at the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in Vienna, where he also studied with Norman Shetler and graduated with honors. A recipient of numerous prizes in solo piano, he was also awarded the accompanying prize at the International Brahms Competition in Hamburg and first prize at the International Schubert Competition in Vienna. He regularly appears as a soloist and is frequently sought after as an accompanist for renowned singers. His recordings have been highly acclaimed by both the public and press. Additionally, he is In demand as an adjudicator for international competitions and regularly conducts masterclasses worldwide (Austria, Italy, France, Spain, China, Japan and Korea). Many of his students have competed internationally and been awarded prizes for competitions in Hong Kong, Rome, Jaén, Concours international de piano Orléans, and first prize/Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris at the Olivier Messiaen Competition in Paris 2007 a.o.