Document Type
Honors Thesis
Major
Art History
Advisor(s)
Michael Grillo
Committee Members
Sabrina DeTurk, Francis John Vogt
Graduation Year
May, 2025
Publication Date
2025
Abstract
This thesis studies the nature of sound, acoustics, architectural design, and the history of choral music in order to understand how these elements intersect, and how they physically and psychologically affect performers and audience members during a live performance. This venture will combine an analysis of pertinent literature with personal experiences. The scope of this project is primarily contained to the performances of the University Singers, the premier auditioned choir at the University of Maine, and is heavily inspired by our concert tour of Italy in 2023. While on that trip, I was able to take recordings of the choir in many different locations and make observations of the similarities and differences in acoustics, architecture, and sensory experiences at each performance. My findings are that the combination of all of these elements together create a profound experience during a live performance, for both singer and audience member, one that can be determined by the intentional design of an architectural space and its corresponding acoustic attributes.
Recommended Citation
Day, Julianna, "Architectural Acoustics and Their Effects on the Performance and Reception of Choral Music" (2025). Honors College. 935.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/935