Alicia Alonso has collaborated as a invited researcher at the Dipartimento di Scienze e civile dell'Ingegneria dell'Architettura at the Politecnico di Bari (Italy) in the period from April 19 to July 18, 2014. During his stay, the researcher has carried out several scientific tasks related to the study of the acoustics of religious buildings.In particular the acoustic effect of ephemeral architecture in churches have been investigated using scale models of a reverberation chamber and of an idealized church, which results were compared with those obtained by using acoustic simulation of their computational models in order to investigate how absorption and transmission coefficients can affect the reliability of the results.

Lidia Alvarez has collaborated as a invited researcher at the Dipartimento di Scienze e civile dell'Ingegneria dell'Architettura at the Politecnico di Bari (Italy) in the period from September 9 to December 13, 2013. During his stay, the researcher has carried out several scientific tasks related to the study of the acoustics of religious buildings. Specifically, the influence of occupation on the acoustic field of churches with different styles have been studied, also considering various orientations of the sound source.

Last December, during the nights of 16th and 17th, the acoustic measurement campaing in the cathedral of Granada was carried out. Three position of the sound source (Main altar, pulpit and organ) and 21 receiver points located throughout the temple were considered. In each point, impulse responses were recorded with several microphones: omnidirectional, bidirectional, dummy head and B-format.

Once these responses be analyse, the acoustic behaviour of this space could be described.

With the study of this cathedral, the measurement campaing considered in the proyect is concluded.

The research group of the University of Seville wants to thank the Dean and all the staff who greeted us, for the good treatment received.

Photo: Measurement session of the Cathedral of Granada.

In october,2013, the 44º Congreso Español de Acústica -TECNIACÚSTICA 2013 will be held. The event, organized by the Spanish Society of Acoustics (SEA), will be held at the Congress Hall Conde Ansúrez at the University of Valladolid.The day before, 1st October, the EAA European Symposium on Environmental Acoustics and Noise Mapping will be held. Both events event has the support of the European Acoustics Association (EAA) and the International Commission on Acoustics (ICA). During the congress, EXPOACUSTICA 2013, a Technical Exhibition on new products and services of the sector companies will take place.

The group will participate with several communications related with the research project, specifically based on the caracterization work carried out in the cathedrals and on the preliminary results on the virtual acoustic field of the Cathedral of Jaen.

The May 28th 2013, at the headquarters of The State Secretariat for Research, Development and Innovation, the principal researcher, Teófilo Zamarreño, presented the progress of the project on the Acoustic of Andalusian Cathedrals (BIA2010-20523) obtained to date, in front of a panel of experts and the rest of the PR of other projects during the monitoring sessions of the projects belonging to the CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM (BIA).

The sessions were organized from the ministry by Dr. Gonzalo Ruiz, National Program Manager Construction (BIA), and Dr. Maria Lourdes Armesto, head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. At the conference 20 projects were presented (some of them coordinated).

Image: Fragment of the presentation.

We have conducted the acoustic measurements on site in the Cathedral of Jaen during Sunday 21st and Monday 22nd April 2013, at night. The campaign has been to study six positions of the acoustic source (major altar, pulpit, choir, organ, retrochoir and sacristy) and a total of 29 points of reception. Several types of microphones: omnidirectional, bidirectional, torso binaural and B-format have been located at these points.

The registered signals provide insight into the acoustic behavior of this space.

The research group of the University of Seville wants to specially thank the Dean and all the staff who greeted us, for the good treatment received and the facilities offered in this cathedral.

Photo: Alicia Alonso, measurement session of the Cathedral of Jaen.

ln october, 2012, the VIII Iberomerican Acoustics Congress, the VII Iberian Acoustics Congress, the XLIII Spanish Acoustics National Congress – TECNIACÚSTICA® 2012 – will be held at the University of Évora, Portugal. The congress is organized jointly by the Portuguese Society of Acoustics (SPA) and yhe Spanish Society of Acoustics (SEA). Also, the event has the support of the European Acoustics Association (EAA) and the International Commission on Acoustics (ICA). During the congress, EXPOACUSTICA 2012, a Technical Exhibition on new products and services of the sector companies will take place.

The group will participate with several communications related with the research project, specifically based on the work done in the cathedrals of Cadiz and Seville.

In the evening and at night, on the 3rd and 4th of June 2012, the acoustic measurements of the Holy Cross Cathedral of Cadiz have been carried out. The measurement campaign includes 2 source positions and 13 reception points in the crypt and 5 source positions (high altar, choir, pulpit, behind the choir, and organ) and 20 reception points within the cathedral. Different types of microphones: omnidirectional, bidirectional, B-format and binaural torso were located at the positions of the receivers. Monaural and binaural IRs recorded are currently being analyzed.

We thank here the great freedom of timetable given to the researchers and the facilities offered by the Dean and the heads of the temple.


Photo: Antonio Colomo, measurement session of the Cathedral of Cadiz.

The sessions of measurement of impulse responses of the Cathedral-Mosque of Cordoba, were carried out on January 29th, 30th and 31st. As in the cathedrals of Malaga and Seville, these sessions took place at night time, in order to find an unoccupied temple and that the background noise was minimized. During the campaign 6 positions of the source were determined, chosen according to the present and past use of the space, and taking into account its construction phases (high altar, choir, pulpit, Chapel of Villaviciosa, Almanzor expansion area and Mihrab) and 31 receiver points were distributed throughout the temple, by using different types of microphones (omnidirectional, bidirectional, B-format and dummy head). We currently are analyzing the monaural and binaural IR recorded.

It's of great appreciation, both to the responsible of the Cathedral and the staff we dealt with, their cooperation and good treatment.

Photo: Rafael Suarez, measurement session of the Cathedral - Mosque of Cordoba.

Our EPO, The Baroque Orchestra of Seville, has been awarded with the National Music Prize 2011 given by the Ministry of Culture. Its work for the investigation and recovery of musical heritage has been emphasized.

To view the full article click this link: Web news "El País"

Photo: Pedro Rabassa, music for the Cathedral of Seville.

During the nights October 10th and 11th, the experimental measurements of monoaural and binaural impulse responses of the Cathedral of Málaga were carried out, which will be used to characterize the sound field of the temple. As in the Cathedral of Seville, these impulse responses were recorded in locations distributed throughout the temple and using different microphones (omnidirectional, figure-eight pattern, B-format), and the source was placed in 5 different positions, chosen according to the various celebrations and events taking place in the Cathedral (liturgies in the Hight Altar and pulpit, choir celebrations, musical activities...). Now the lab work to analyze the signals obtained begins.
Historian Carmen Diaz Baruque took part took part in the session. During the week, she visited the cathedrals of Malaga, Cordoba and Seville to update her study about Spanish organs.

Again, we acknowledge the collaboration of the responsible and the staff of the Cathedral, for their collaboration.

Photo: Several authors, measurement session of the Cathedral of Malaga.

In the beginning of June took the first experimental measurements as part of the project in the Cathedral of Seville. Sessions took place from 10 pm, so that the temple was unoccupied and at the same time minimizing background noise. Impulse responses were recorded at several points and with different microphones (omnidirectional, figure-eight pattern, B-format) distributed to cover the entire area of interest in each acoustic source location considered, which were determined by the different uses made of this space (liturgies in the High Altar, Chapel of the Kings, Corpus Christi celebrations, musical activities...).
In the coming weeks, we will analyze the data to characterize the acoustic behaviour of the temple.
We acknowledge the collaboration of the responsible and the staff of the Cathedral.

Photo: Jose Agustin Garrido, measurement session of the Cathedral of Seville.

Organizers: European Acoustics Association, EAA
Date: 26th June - 1st July 2011
Location: Aalborg, Denmark
Web site: Click here