Born in Gütersloh, Stier, son of a pianist and piano teacher, had his first violin lesson at the age of seven.
He studied at the Hochschule für Musik Detmold, where he passed his Abitur and the supplementary pedagogical examination, and at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln with Willibald Roth, Max Strub and Wilhelm Stross among others.
In 1958, he joined the Bavarian State Orchestra, where he was 1st violinist and from 1960, concert master under the conduct of Josef Keilberth.
In Richter's Münchener Bach-Chor he was First Concertmaster for 25 years and gave concerts worldwide[3] He also accompanied numerous solo musicians.
[2] Since 1966, he had a teaching position at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München, which appointed him professor for violin in 1975.