Rudolf Piernay studied voice, piano and conducting in Berlin, London and New York. His concert schedule has brought him as far as Israel, South America and New Zealand. He has been professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London since 1974, at the Mannheim Music Academy since 1989. Numerous winners of international prizes are graduates of his classes, and many of his former students are pursuing successful international opera and concert careers.

He has been offering masterclasses around the world since 1978 as well as courses at the studios of, a. o., the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Chicago Lyric Opera, the Houston Grand Opera, and led courses for the Steans Institute of the Ravinia Festival in Chicago for eight summers. He has guest-lectured for several weeks at the Julliard School in New York and has been invited several times to the International Vocal School in Moscow. He is a respected juror at international competitions.