Schedule Overview
The ISMRA joint symposium will take place over three days, starting Sunday May 25, 2025.
The first day will feature plenary sessions and keynote speakers addressing topics that encompass both musical and room acoustics. The following days will have parallel sessions, both oral and poster, on technical topics of interest to the respective musical acoustics and room acoustics communities.
Two optional workshops are scheduled for Saturday May 24. There is a separate registration fee of $25 for each workshop. Please visit the Workshops page to see details.
All technical activities, including the workshops, will take place on the campus of Loyola University, New Orleans.
(ISMRA follows the 18 - 23 May Joint meeting of the ICA and ASA).
ISMRA Schedule Outline: Topics and Workshops
ISMRA Schedule Outline: Topics and Workshops
| DAY 0: Saturday, May 24th | |
|---|---|
| ISMA Workshops: | |
| - Design and use of listener discrimination tests - Build your own instrument |
|
| Day 1: Sunday, May 25th (Joint Conference ISRA-ISMA) | |
| Session 1 | Playing the Room |
| Adjustments that performers, conductors, and composers make in response to the acoustics of particular spaces. Potential topics: Interaction among performers in small ensembles; adjustments by conductors of large ensembles, singing to the room: real-time adjustments by vocalists, solo instrumentalist |
|
| Session 2 | Soundscapes of Sound Art |
| This session explores how the acoustic environment shapes the experience of art installations with an audio component, by design or by accident, whether the installation is in a gallery or a public space. | |
| Session 3 | The Co-Evolution of Musical Styles and Performance Spaces |
| This theme explores the historical development of musical genres that have been influenced by the acoustics of their traditional settings, as well as the influence that new musical forms have exerted on the acoustics of their venues, acoustics of jazz ensembles, co-evolution of sacred spaces and music, architectural responses to amplified music; outdoor venues | |
| DAY 2-3: ISMA (May 26-27th) | |
| Topics | - Bowed string instruments - Plucked string instruments - Brass instruments - Reed instruments - Flute and flue instruments - Percussion Instruments - Instrument building and 3D prototyping - Modeling and virtual prototyping - Signal processing in musical acoustics - Measurement techniques - Modeling and experiment - Memorial session for Gabriel Weinreich |
| DAY 2-3: ISRA (May 26-27th) | |
| Topic | Real World Application of Innovative Acoustic Surfaces and Devices |
| The session aims to gather contributions that investigate the integration of innovative acoustic surfaces into architecture. Indoor and outdoor implementations will be considered. How are unique surfaces designed, fabricated, installed, and validated, especially those which meet the aesthetic goals of the architect? What are effective workflow processes and how are aspects of acoustic behavior incorporated? Of particular interest are surfaces that were not developed to be off-the-shelf acoustic products | |
| Topic | Open Call Room Acoustics |
| You are invited to submit if topics do not match other defined topics, topics include but are not limited to prediction, design of purpose-specific spaces, experimental methods, worship spaces… | |
| Topic | Perceptual and Measured Effects of Room Acoustics Related to Musical Dynamics |
| Traditional room acoustical measurements (e.g., ISO 3382-1) rely on linear impulse responses and do not fully account for perceptual effects arising in different musical dynamics. This session explores both perceptual phenomena and the potential for new or adapted measurement techniques to capture these effects. Topics may include anecdotes of non-linear effects with precise descriptions of the perceived phenomena, cases of reflections or echoes audible only in specific dynamics (e.g., fortissimo), changes in Auditory Source Width related to dynamic variations, and sound 'tsunami' effects over the audience. Other possible subjects include dynamic-dependent changes in clarity, hall 'awakening' in loud passages, compression of dynamic ranges (e.g., lound pianissimos or mild fortissimos), and innovative measurement approaches to better capture such effects for future research and practice. | |
| Topic | Auralization of measurements and modeling results |
| The current room acoustic modeling and auralization tools provide plausible renderings, which are used to create immersive audiovisual virtual environments in many architectural acoustic design projects. This session collects contributions in this field and we encourage people to submit papers on wide range of topics, e.g., Novel ways to model spatial room impulse responses with multiple source positions / Subjective impressions on the modification of frequency balance with modeling / Listening test results with and without visual information / The role of chosen listening test methods on the results, possible biases due to methodology | |
| Topic | Challenges and Solutions to Room Acoustic Design in Case Studies |
| Practical room acoustic design (large halls, unique approaches or unique elements) | |
| Topic | AI and Optimization of Room Acoustics |
| The session delves into the application of artificial intelligence and optimization techniques in room acoustics, emphasizing their role in revolutionizing the design process for performing arts spaces. Contributions are sought to highlight novel approaches for advancing acoustic design exploration, including geometry optimization and the enhancement of spatial audio. Special focus will be placed on methods that seamlessly integrate AI with architectural and aesthetic goals, redefining the possibilities of traditional acoustic practices. | |
| Special Events | |
| May 26th | Trip to Music Box Village |
| May 27th | Jam Session, featuring workshop-built instruments |