Suntory Hall

Suntory Hall, is a concert hall complex consisting of the "Main Hall" and the "Small Hall" located in the Ark Hills complex, near the U.S. Embassy and TV Asahi in the Akasaka district of northern Minato, a ward in Tokyo, Japan. This is the first building of its kind to be created solely for music presentations. Construction started in the late 1970s and it opened in October 1986.

History

It opened on October 12, 1986 in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of whisky production and 20th anniversary of beer sales by Suntory.

The Herbert von Karajan plaza in front of Suntory Hall, which was constructed in April 1998, is in remembrance of the maestro, who became closely associated with the Hall and who also recommended the "vineyard configuration" whereby the audience surrounds the concert floor in the Main Hall. He also helped with its acoustical evaluation and stated, in the message sent to President Keizo Saji of Suntory Hall, "I was deeply moved by the outstanding sounds of the hall. It is truly a jewel box of sound."

Suntory Hall has had performers and conductors from all around the world, such as Andreas Juffinger, Per Tengstrand, Denis Shapovalov, Darko Brle, Graham Scott and Koichi Sugiyama in 1987 when the first video game music concert was held.

Performance and other facilities

* Main HallThe seats in the Main Hall are situated around the concert stage (250 m2 in 21 sections) in the "vineyard configuration", providing space for up to 2,006 people. In doing this, a closer acoustical sensibility is created for not only the audience to enjoy, but for the performers and conductors as well.

Also, the concert pipe organ, with 74 stops and 5,898 pipes, is located in the centre rear of the Hall. It is one of the largest pipe organs in the world, custom built and crafted by Rieger Orgelbau. Due to repeated tuning done right after installation, its sensational warmth and velvety soft sounds create lush effects. It has also been modified with computerized control mechanisms to allow remote consoles to control it from the stage.

*Small HallThe Small Hall’s seats can be moved, and the stage comsists of three different sections which can be raised by up to 60 centimeters in increments of 20 centimeters. It can seat 384 to 432 people.

The interior 425 m2 (25 m x 17 m) consists of wooden paneling, and, like the Main Hall, this hall produces a warm and richly crisp tone. The Hall's main function is for chamber music and solo recitals. Due to its size, (41.6 m2/62.4 m2 with 3 platforms), it has also been used for speeches, seminars and lectures.

* The Foyer has a mahogany paneling finish and marble trim.

For enjoyment and relaxation while waiting for performances and during intermissions, the Foyer provides access to facilities such as the cocktail corner, as well as the "Bar Intermezzo" and "Cafe Intermezzo". Suntory Hall is the first to bring such facilities to Japan.

* In addition to the box office, a gift shop and cloak room are located in the foyer.

* Significant pieces of art are another feature of the Hall. These include the Chandelier Symphony of Lights by Motoko Ishii, the stained glass “Growth of Grapes” by Keiko Miura, and wall art by Teppei Ujiyama which are all located in the foyer. Outside the main entrance is a sculpture by Takenobu Igarashi.

See also

* List of major concert halls

External links

* [http://www.suntory.co.jp/suntoryhall Suntory Hall's Official Japanese website]
* [http://www.suntory.co.jp/suntoryhall/english Suntory Hall's Official English website]