Sergiu Natra is Romanian-born, of a family originating in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria. He began music and piano studies at the age of 8, and graduated from the Music Academy of Bucharest in 1953. His orchestral work, March and Coral, and Divertimento in Ancient Style, earned him the Enescu Composition Prize, was awarded to him personally by Enescu who predicted a "bright future" for the young composer.

During the horrors of the Nazis and its aftermath, Natra and his family, considered part of the “aristocracy”, suffered forced labor, prison time and confiscation of all of their properties, including a number of the composer's works. For a period of three years after submitting a request to emigrate to Israel, Natra and his wife Sonia, a sculptor and artist, were banned from publishing any work or pursuing their careers. Finally, in 1961, they emigrated, and a year later, the Israel Philharmonic performed Natra’s Symphony No.2 for string orchestra.

Other recent works are Prelude and Commentary for Nehemiah, which was performed by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in 2010, Cantosonata for Harp, premiered in Taiwan in 2012, Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (2011) and Esquisses for Flute and Piano (2013). Between 1975 -1985 Natra lectured as a professor at the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv and over the years has nurtured generations of students.