Iris Stone was born and raised in the Western part of Berlin, Germany, where her early childhood included American soldiers in tanks waving victory signs. She began playing the violin at age six and received her undergraduate degree in violin performance as a student of Ulf Hoelscher at the Musikhochschule Karlsruhe, Germany. This was where her love for conductorless chamber orchestra playing was born. As a Fulbright scholarship recipient, Iris first came to the US as a graduate student in 1993, working with Donald Weilerstein at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Subsequently, she was granted a long-term residency at the Banff Center for the Arts, Canada. 

Iris first performed with New Century under Stuart Canin during the orchestra’s 1995/96 season and returned to the group in 2001. In the interim years Iris traveled the world as a member of the Munich Chamber Orchestra performing in the great concert halls of Europe, Asia and the United States. 

In 1998 Iris married violinist Tom Stone and moved to San Francisco, facing the conundrum of artistic survival in the American cultural landscape where very few victory signs are waved. She has performed with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, has been Assistant Concertmaster of San Francisco’s Women’s Philharmonic, Principle of Monterey Symphony Orchestra and works with the Berkeley, Oakland, Marin and California Symphonies. Iris had the honor and privilege to return to her native roots performing and recording with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle. For many years she appeared as part of the Stone-Zimmermann violin-piano duo and has been carrying on her passion of teaching in her own private studio as well as coaching the next generation of musicians at Golden Gate Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, San Domenico Virtuoso Program, Santa Rosa Young People’s Chamber Orchestra and San Jose State University to name a few.

In pursuit of her passion for the theater, Iris trained as an actor at the American Conservatory and Berkeley Repertory Theater Schools as well as SITI Company, NewYork, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London. She has performed with Theatre Rhinoceros, PlayGround, Third Cloud from the Left, was seen in California Shakespeare Theater’s War of the Roses and played Malvolia in College of Marin’s production of Twelfth Night.

Iris also played a major part in raising her two, now college aged children Daniel and Hannah. When all becomes too overwhelming Iris can be found gardening, doing yoga or blissfully riding her electric bike all over the hills of San Francisco.

What is your hometown?

I was born and raised in the Western part of Berlin, Germany, where my early childhood included American soldiers in tanks waving victory signs. 

How long have you performed with New Century?

I first performed with New Century under Stuart Canin during the orchestra’s 1995/96 season and returned to the group in 2001. 

What do you love about New Century?

Our many years of collaboration have forged a shared intimacy of chamber music playing with a specific group sound. Personal engagement and passion as well as a goofy sense of humor are trademarks of our close knit community. Do you know another orchestra in the world that has a Sunshine Committee responsible for gift giving and gestures of kindness?

What is your favorite New Century memory?

I am thinking about fun on our orchestra tours (on and off stage), about hearing the voices of all our violinists performing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (a movement each) and, of course, I’m thinking of my opportunity to sing Mack the Knife at Bing Concert Hall in a collaboration of NCCO with Chanticleer - getting held up by an usher (who had no idea that I was part of the performance) and scaring the audience on my entrance, dressed up in a long black coat and bowler hat. 

How did you start learning your instrument, or who inspired you to begin?

When I was six years old, my mother asked me if I wanted to take violin lessons. She had been inspired by a colleague who signed up her children for lessons with a new violin teacher at the local music school. I had no idea what playing the violin entailed and agreed! 

What do you like to do when you're not being a musician? What are your hobbies?

I have always had trouble defining myself as an artist of a singular discipline and focus. My curiosity and interest in anthropology and human artistic expression has propelled me to explore modern dance, yoga, writing, singing and acting aside from pursuing a mostly musical career. I regard it as my ongoing quest, informing all disciplines reciprocally. My only frustration lies in the impossibility of giving each discipline the 10,000 hours practice required to achieve mastery. 

What's your favorite Bay Area place (restaurant, park, etc.)?

The Bay Area is a magical place that never ceases to amaze me. I love hiking Mount Tam (Tennessee Valley Road is a great starting point), or simply watching the fog lift from our living room window… each has otherworldly beauty.

I am hard pressed to name a favorite restaurant in San Francisco with all the amazing choices. I love the intimacy of the restaurant Firefly in Noe Valley and the delicious Indian Food at our neighborhood Indian restaurant Roti.