English
The Concert Hall
Salurinn, Kopavogur Concert Hall, the first specially designed concert hall in Iceland, was opened on the 2nd of January 1999. Particular emphasis was put on making the acoustics as good as possible and Salurinn has been highly praised by performers and guests alike for its exceptional acoustics.
Musicians can choose between two grand pianos: a new Steinway & Sons Concert Grand model D, and a nine foot Bösendorfer Concert Grand. A complete Meyer speaker system is installed in the hall making Salurinn ideal for the performance of electronic music. The size and shape of the hall, its sloping floor and comfortable seats, make for a special intimacy between artist and audience. The hall seats 300 and is equipped with good facilities for the disabled.
Salurinn is available for all kinds of musical events or recording sessions; it also has good facilities for meetings, lectures and small conferences. A convenient bar in the lobby is usually open during concerts and other events.
The Building
Modern design and the use of Icelandic building materials make Kopavogur Concert Hall a place worth visiting. On the outside, driftwood from the most isolated parts of Iceland and prefabricated concrete tiles are first to catch the eye. Once inside, the light color of spruce from Iceland's first commercial tree-farm is most striking. Stones from the building's foundations were crushed to make the floor in the lobby and hallways.
Concerts
A variety of concerts is given at Salurinn each year, covering all kinds of music from renaissance to modern, in the form of solo concerts, recitals and groups performing jazz, chamber, electronic music etc. Celebrated Icelandic performers as well as visiting international musicians can be heard at Salurinn. TIBRA, a special series of more than fourty concerts each year, is sponsored by the Town of Kopavogur. The TIBRA series has been recognized for the high quality of its concerts. Tickets can be persued at Salurinn Mon.- Fri. from 10.00 - 16.00 and one hour before concerts.
Recordings
The good acoustics and the option of varying the reverberation time, with a specially designed curtain system for variable absorption, make Salurinn an ideal location for all kinds of musical recordings. Two custom-buildt control rooms are located in the building. A number of recordings have already been made in Salurinn for both Icelandic and international labels.
The Town of Kopavogur
Kopavogur is the second largest municipality in Iceland, situated on a hill a few minutes drive from the capital city, Reykjavik. Kopavogur is a comparatively young town which boasts of rapid growth in art and culture. Its westernmost part includes Borgarholt, a protected natural environment, from which there is an expansive view of the whole Reykjavík area, its islands, bays and inlets and the mountains beyond. This stunning location was selected for the town's main church, whose unique design and situation make it the symbol of Kopavogur. Borgarholt is also home to the town's most significant cultural institutions; the Art Museum, displaying contemporary and modern art, the Natural Museum, with its rare collection of molluscs, the Library, the Music School and Salurinn, the Kopavogur Concert Hall.
How to get there?
It is easy to get to Kopavogur. Buses S1 and S2 leave every few minutes from Laekjargata and Hlemmur in downtown Reykjavik taking you directly to Kopavogur in 10-15 minutes, where they stop right outside Salurinn, Kopavogur Concert Hall.
For further information,
ticket sales and/or reservations, contact:
Salurinn, Hamraborg 6, 200 Kopavogur, Iceland,
tel. (+354) 5 700 400
fax. (+354) 5 700 401
salurinn@salurinn.is
www.salurinn.is - which includes a virtual tour around the hall.
