Double bassist Petr Ries comes from South Bohemia. He graduated from the P.J.Vejvanovský Conservatory in Kroměříž. During his studies at the conservatory he also studied conducting and composition. In 2003/2004 he completed a study stay at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Dance in Paris in the class of Prof. Jean-Paul Celea. He completed his studies in 2005 at the Faculty of Music of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague under Prof. Jiří Hudec. During his studies at the Academy of Performing Arts, he was placed on the Premium List of Young Artists of the Czech Music Fund Foundation thanks to his exceptional performance skills.

He is the winner of many awards - The Conservatory Competition (1996–1st prize), The International F.Gregora Double Bass Competition in Kroměříž (1997–1st prize), The International Performance Competition "Moravian Autumn" in Brno (1998–2nd prize), International Musikwettbewerb Markneukirchen (1999 – 7th prize), The J.M.Sperger International Double Bass Competition in Michaelstein (2002 – 2nd prize) and The International Performance Competition "Moravian Autumn" in Brno (2003 – 2nd prize). In 2002, he became the laureate of the prestigious competition "Talent of the Year 2002" in Prague, when he performed Koussevitsky's Concerto in F sharp minor accompanied by the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra in a live broadcast on Czech Radio 3 Vltava.

In 2003 Petr Ries won an audition for Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra and a year later for the Czech Philharmonic as 2nd Principal of the Double Bass section, where he has been working ever since.
He performs in solo recitals in the Czech Republic and abroad. As a soloist he cooperates with major Czech and foreign orchestras. He is a sought-after chamber musician (Pavel Haas Quartet, Bennewitz Quartet, Zemlinsky Quartet, Škampa Quartet, Martinů Quartet, Kocián Quartet, Baborák Ensemble, Belfiato Quintet, PhilHarmonia Octet, etc.).

In addition to the Czech Philharmonic, he is a member of the Prague Chamber Soloists, the Haydn Ensemble Prague and the Czech Philharmonic Jazz Band. He works as a teacher at the Summer Master Classes in Litomyšl (since 2003). In 2009-2015 he was a professor at the International Conservatory in Prague. He is a lecturer at the Orchestral Academy of the Czech Philharmonic.