Romanian-born violinist Irina Simon-Renes studied in Berlin with Thomas Zehetmair, Christoph Poppen, and Antje Weithaas.
Her orchestral career began in 1998 at the Academy of the Staatskapelle Berlin. She subsequently took up her first permanent position as Principal Second Violin with the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra. In 2001–10 she held the same position with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Since 2022 she has led the second violins of the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester.
From 2010 to 2024 she served as Artistic Director of the International Chamber Music Festival in Wassenaar. In recognition of her commitment to music education, she received the Culture Prize of the City of Wassenaar in 2012 and, in 2024, its Medal of Honour.
Irina Simon-Renes appears regularly as guest leader and guest principal with leading orchestras including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the Bavarian State Orchestra, the Orchestra Mozart and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. In 2013 she became a member of the prestigious Lucerne Festival Orchestra, conducted by Claudio Abbado. In 2020 she was appointed Knight of the Order of Cultural Merit by the President of Romania.
Irina Simon-Renes plays a Nicolò Gagliano violin from 1768.