About
Music. Architecture. Photography.
Picture copyright by Donna Woo
Iris Woo is very privileged to enjoy having different careers simultaneously. Iris is a musician, a registered architect, and a photographer.
Music, art, and creativity have always been playing an important role in Iris' life. It is only natural for her to pursue careers that enable her to explore her passions.
Music.
Iris started taking piano lesson from the age of seven. Passionate about music, she decided to pursue a music career. She holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of British Columbia where she majored in composition. She plays the piano, violin, yangqin, and guzheng. After graduation, she was working as the Tom Lee Music More Music Department Manager where she purchased music books and accessories, and organized and presented workshops and masterclasses for music teachers and professional musicians. Iris is still active in teaching piano, composing music, and performing. (For detailed bio in music, click music.)
Architecture.
In 2004, Iris earned a Master of Architecture Degree from UBC and is a registered architect with the Architectural Institute of British Columbia since 2009. She has worked on a number of residential projects, heritage project, and health care projects in Canada, in the United States, and in China. In architecture, she is able to explore her creativity in a much larger scale. (For detailed bio in architecture, click architecture.)
Photography.
Alongside with practicing architecture and creating music, Iris also pursues her love of photography. Seeing the world through camera lenses enable her to explore her creativity in a different way. She likes to tell stories in her photos. Her favorite subject is animals. In taking pictures of animals, Iris hopes to show people that animals are amazing and wonderful creatures that require our love and respect.
Volunteering.
Besides busy working, Iris Woo believes in volunteering in the community. In the architectural community, she had participated in organizing a successful international architecture ideas competition called the poto:type in 2007. She also mentors intern architects in getting registered with the Architectural Institute of British Columbia.
In the music community, she was appointed to serve the Vancouver Civic Theatres Board for 4 years and had volunteered for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and sang Christmas carols at the Vancouver General Hospital in the past. Currently, she sits on the Vancouver Kiwanis Music Festival Board and the Vancouver Bach Choir Board, and is the chair of the Development Committee of the Vancouver Bach Choir. Furthermore, she plays piano for the Special Care Unit at the Rosewood Manor regularly.
Driven by her love of animals, Iris has been volunteering at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre since 2010. At the Centre, she assists in nursing animals back to health before releasing them back to the wild. Animals that she had helped includes Harbour Seals, Sea otters, Harbour Porpoises, Sea Lions, and False Killer Whale.