Salurinn Concert Hall Names Composer Sóley Stefánsdóttir as Resident Artist
Salurinn Concert Hall has announced composer and songwriter Sóley Stefánsdóttir as its resident artist. Known for her distinctive musical style and extensive background in composition, Stefánsdóttir takes on the role following a career that includes graduating from the Iceland Academy of the Arts and receiving recognition for her critically acclaimed work, including the album Mother Melancholia. Over the past fifteen years, she has balanced international performance tours with teaching composition at institutions such as the Iceland Academy of the Arts and the Music School in Reykjavík.
A New Premiere for the Women’s Strike Anniversary
As part of her residency, Stefánsdóttir has collaborated with director Samantha Shay to create a new production titled quean : kven : queen. The work is scheduled to debut on the stage of Salurinn.
The piece explores various facets of feminism, contrasting softness and strength, silence and sound, and the complexities of motherhood. Created by two artists who have frequently collaborated across music, film, and dance, the performance draws on their shared interest in ecofeminism and the parallels between women and the earth. Framed as a living sculpture, the production examines how global systems of power and oppression interconnect while serving as an ode to female solidarity.
Salurinn’s Composer Initiative
This residency continues Salurinn Concert Hall’s ongoing composer project, which regularly commissions new music from diverse artists across genres. Past iterations of the initiative have featured collaborative string quartet performances, soundscapes centered around the acoustic environment of the local area, and multi-month improvisation showcases by previous resident artists like pianist and composer Davíð Þór Jónsson. More recently, the venue collaborated with multiple composers to create original works for children's choirs, supported by the Kópavogur Arts and Culture Council.
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