Artists

Biography:

IRIS Orchestra, now celebrating its tenth anniversary, has established itself as one of the most successful musical groups in the United States. A community of musicians whose members come together from around the country and around the globe, IRIS’s unique structure makes it a new model for the 21st-century American orchestra. Since its inaugural concert in September 2000 with soloist Yo-Yo Ma, IRIS has set a new musical standard: a commitment to excellence; innovative programming, presenting beloved treasures of the classical cannon alongside the best of the new American repertoire, including new works commissioned by IRIS; and service to the community.

IRIS performances and recordings have received unanimous public and critical acclaim, and have been embraced by its audience and the community.

Over the past ten years IRIS has partnered a remarkable array of soloists including violinists Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, Gil Shaham and Midori, pianists Emanuel Ax, Yefim Bronfman and Garrick Ohlsson, soprano Dawn Upshaw, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The list of commissioned composers is equally distinguished, including Stephen Hartke, Ellen Taffe Zwilich, William Bolcom and Ned Rorem, as well as younger talents such as Jonathan Leshnoff, Huang Ruo and Adam Schoenberg.

IRIS has also earned critical praise for its six recordings: the first disc ever recorded by the orchestra, the music of Stephen Hartke, earned a place on the “Year’s Ten Best’ in 2002 by The New York Times;

IRIS’s recording of Ned Rorem’s After Reading Shakespeare was named in the Ten Best of 2007′ list of the Chicago Tribune. IRIS has recorded for Naxos International, as part of that label’s American Classics Series, as well as for the Arabesque label.