Du Puy was a Swiss baritone, violinist, pianist and composer. He studied the piano in Paris with Dussek, and became an orchester member at the court of Prince Henry of Prussia at Rheinsberg in 1785, where he became leader in 1787. He settled in Stockholm in 1793. Du Puy was expelled there in 1799. He went to Copenhagen to sing in the opera. He there also taught singing to the future wife of Christian VIII, with whom he was exiled for a love affair in 1809. He returned to Stockholm 1811, where he became court conductor and professor.