Jiri Barta studied the piano at the Brno Conservatory (in the class of Frantisek Schaefer - graduated 1958) and then composition at the Janacek Academy of Performing Arts (under Vilem Petrzelka and Theodor Schaefer, graduated 1962 with his Concerto for Orchestra). Through the course of his studies he was especially influenced by Bela Bartok and Sergei Prokofiev but soon proceeded to try new methods of composition, which were gradually penetrating into Czech music in the 1960's. In this "period of seeking" he took part in a composition class in Darmstadt and pursued postgraduate study of electronic music at the Janacek Academy (1968 - 1970). In the following decade he was primarily concerned with evaluating the results of his studies and applying them in new ways. He tried to produce new sound by means of unusual musical instruments, new forms by applying the method of collage, and eventually chose his own line based on a montage of contrasting material. He focused his attention on construction, on development of form, in which the distinctly differentiated elements (objects) are integrated into a convincing whole.
By the 1980's Jiri Barta had developed his individual method: it is based on diatonic and its specific feature is lyricism which, however, does not exclude expressiveness. His compositions from that time were socially acknowledged: Concerto da camera per pianoforte ed archi was awarded the annual prize of the Union of Czech Composers and Performing Artists in 1986, Reliefs for Orchestra the annual prize of the Czech Music Fund in 1990, and Music for Strings (In memoriam Miloslav Istvan) a premium of the Czech Music Fund in 1991.
The composer was a member of the Brno group Camerata. He was on staff at the Brno Conservatory as a teacher of composition and music theory over a long period of time.