Alain Voirpy was born in 1955 into a family of musicians. Whilst studying for the baccalaureate at Lakanal Secondary school in Sceaux just south of Paris, he took piano lessons with Emeline Kaplan (a student of Alfred Cortot's) and then with Lélia Gousseau. His grandfather, Emile Quéraud, introduced him to the rudiments of composing which he then pursued under Henri Challan guidance.

Obtaining a place at the Paris Conservatory, he completed courses in harmony (Henri Challan), counterpoint (Jean-Claude Henry), fugal composition (Marcel Bitsch), analysis (Jacques Casterède), conducting (Pierre Stoll), piano accompaniment (Henriette Puig-Roget, Jean Koerner) and composition (Olivier Messiaen, Michel Philippot and Serge Nigg)before going on to study under Franco Ferrara (conducting), Dalton Baldwin (accompaniment of French chanson). In 1981 he won the composition prize at the Prince Pierre de Monaco Foundation for a piece called « Réminiscences ».

Alain Voirpy divides his professional time between teaching, conducting and composition. Having been employed successively as the chorus conductor then chief conductor at Lille Opera House when the latter closed, he took up teaching, becoming the principal of conservatories at Soissons, Amiens and Limoges. Encouraged by teachers and eminent composers such as André Boucourechliev and Henri Dutilleux, Alain Voirpy has continued composing, never stopping his exploration of new sound worlds as and when opportunities arise.

His love of opera and admiration of the singers who have marked its history leaves its stamp on his music which is unapologetically lyrical with roots in the music of the Second Viennese School (Berg especially) and the French tradition through Olivier Messiaen. Although some works still await their creation, many already regularly feature in concerts given both within France and abroad. He is currently working on the writing of an opera, Aliénor, commissioned by the Opéra de Limoges, whose premiere is scheduled for June 2021.