Iris Juda, principal violist of the CAMERATA, was born in the Netherlands and studied the violin with her father, Jo Juda, the 1st concertmaster of the Concertgebouworkest Amsterdam, with whom she also performed extensively as part of a violin duo for more than a decade. She went on to study with Herman Krebbers and Sándor Végh. She played for 17 years as deputy concertmaster in the Chamber Orchestra of Europe (COE), which she co-founded in 1981 and in which she has since been an honorary member of the violin section. Iris Juda is also a founding member of the Gaudier Ensemble (1983), which consists of the section leaders and concertmasters of the COE.
In London, where Iris lived for nine years, she was a member of the Hanson String Quartet, the Johannes String Sextet, Endymion and the Nash Ensemble. As a violinist, she also performed with the English Chamber Orchestra and the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields. As a violist, she has frequently stood in for Veronika Hagen in the Hagen Quartet, with whom she has toured in China, Japan, South Korea and throughout Europe.
Iris is a founding member (violin) of Claudio Abbado’s Lucerne Festival Orchestra.
She frequently serves as section leader for the viola section and the first and second violin sections of the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, and as section leader for the viola section of the Amsterdam Sinfonietta.&
She has coached the EUYO’s viola section on several occasions. She regularly gives viola and/or chamber music masterclasses.
Iris has performed at many chamber music festivals, including the IMS, Prussia Cove in Cornwall (since 1987), the Hagen Open at Feistritz Castle in Austria, the Risør Festival in Norway, with Harriet & friends in Utrecht, the Netherlands, as well as at the festivals in Leersum and Doorn, the Netherlands, with Candida Thompson, and in Cerne Abbas and Aldeburgh, England.
As a soloist, she has performed in North America, China and Europe.
Since 2005, Iris Juda has been principal violist of the CAMERATA Salzburg.
Interview
In conversation with Iris Juda-Hagen
What is it like for you to make music in a chamber orchestra?
It feels like communicating through music with a group of people – large enough for everyone to make a very rich contribution, but not too large to prevent you from hearing every voice.
If the music of CAMERATA were a culinary speciality from your homeland – what would it be and why?
Pannekoek as a base, with various options for fillings.
If Mozart were still alive: what would you like to say to him?
Thanks a million for your wonderful music; you made the world a better place!
