Born in 1948 in Batumi, Georgia. He studied at the Music Academy in Tbilisi under Aleksandr Shaverzashvili, where he graduated with a Doctor Degree in composition in 1976. Bardanashvili was Director of the Music College in Batumi (1986-1991), and Culture Vice-Minister in Adjaria (1993-1994), and in this capacity organized numerous international music festivals. He settled in Israel in 1995. Bardanashvili served as composer-in-residence of the Raanana Symfonette Orchestra in Israel from 1996-99, and Musical Director of the International Biennial for Contemporary Music "Tempus Fugit" in Tel-Aviv (2002, 2004, 2006) and currently is a composer-in-residence the Israel Camerata Jerusalem. He taught at Camera Obscura College, at the Bar Ilan University and the Sapir Academic College. Currently he is a faculty member of the Academy of Music at the Tel-Aviv University and Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. Bardanshvili from 1999 to 2010 was a member of public council of the Ministry of the culture and art of Israel. He is permanently invited as a member of jury of different musical competitions, to musical academies and schools for performing different master classes and lectures and meetings.

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Josef Bardanashvili has composed more than 100 works. Amongst them, is author of the first Georgian rock-opera ''Alternative'' (1976), and rock-ballet "Tutor"(1982). He has written 3 operas: "Moving Stars" (2 act opera, libretto by the composer & Dgemal Adgiashvili -1982); Eva (mono-opera, libretto by Aleksandr Parin-1998) and ''A Journey to the end of the millennium'' (2 act opera, libretto A.B.Yehoshua - 2004-2005) commissioned and performed by The Israeli Opera; three ballets "A Woman's Ballad" (1972),Tutor'' (1982)choreography by Boris Eifman, "Moving Soul" (1991); three symphonies(1980, 2001,2006),symphony No 3 ''With what do we light'' commissioned by Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, concertos for Guitar, Flute, Piano, Mandolin, Clarinet, Violin, Viola, Cello, Dual concerto for Cello, Piano & brass orchestra; Triptych for voices & orchestra ("Children of God" - texts from the Talmud, Quran, New Testament, Book of Psalms, for countertenor & orchestra, (1997); "Yearning" - texts from the Pure Prayer, Blessings, Ecclesiastes for voice & orchestra, (1999);" Time to Love" - texts from the Song of Solomon, Evangelists, Shmuel Hanagid, Nahapet Kuchak for male chorus & string orchestra, (1999); Elegia for string orchestra (1997), Steps and Metamorphoses for small orchestra, Symphonic Poem for clarinet & orchestra (1998), String Quartets, Quintets, Piano Trios, Piano Sonatas, choir music. He has written music for 40 films and 50 theater productions.

Among his honors are the title of Honored Artist of Georgia (1988), the Paliashvili Award (1987), the ACUM ''Composer of the Year'' Prize (1998, 2004), the Margalit Prize (1999, for Dybbuk incidental music), the Award of the Israeli Prime Minister (2000, 2011), the ACUM Prize for "Life Achievement" (2002), the Israel Theater Oscar for Music (2003, 2009, 2010), the Rozenblum Prize for Performing Arts - Tel-Aviv (2005), the Landau prize (2006). Prize by I. Shtern from Ministry of Absorption (2009).

His numerous compositions had successfully been performed all over the world - in Israel, Georgia, USA, Germany, Russia, France, Spain, Italy, Finland, Hungary, Canada, Japan, the UK, by such soloists as Giora Feidman, Tabea Zimmerman, Natalia Gutman, Yossi Arnheim, Liana Isacadze, Nana Jashvili, Oleg Malov, Alexander Korsantia, Tzvi Plesser, Uri Gandelsman, Viktor Derevianko, Etti Ankri, David D'aor, Etti Ben zaken and conductors Zubin Mehta, Valery Gergiev, Andreas Mustonen, Lior Shambadal, Shlomo Minzt, George Manahan, Djansug Kachidze, Vaktang Kakhidze, Gisele Ben Dor, Uri Segal, Gabor Hollerung, Yerucham Sharovsky, Zsolt Nagy, Steven Sloan, Joel Sachs, Avner Biron, Nizan Leibovich and by orchestras like the Israel Philharmonic, the St. Petersburg Opera Orchestra, Berliner Symphoniker, the Georgian St. Symphony Orchestra the Dochnany Orchestra (Hungaria), the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra - IBA, the Rishon Le-Zion Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Chamber Orchestra, the Ra'anana Symphonette, the Beer-Sheva Sinphonietta, the Musica Nova Ensemble, the Israel Contemporary Players, Ensemble Contempo (USA), New Juilliard Ensemble (USA), Continuum (USA), Nouvel Ensemble Moderne (Canada) and in music festivals in Israel and abroad.