News
In-depth study and completion of works put the Symphony Hall among the best venues worldwide
Auditorio de Tenerife kicks off its 2024-25 season by optimising its acoustics. The results allow the sound produced onstage to reach the public as clearly as possible. After experts conducted an in-depth study, complex works were undertaken for the strategic placement of a series of acoustic diffusion panels that improve the auditorium’s projected sound and complement its aesthetics.
José Carlos Acha, the councillor for cultural affairs in Tenerife, visited the auditorium as part of a technical inspection of the completed works, commenting, ‘It’s an impressive change that the public will appreciate, the artists onstage and the musicians in the orchestra pit, and it’s going to make the Auditorio de Tenerife one of the best venues in the world’. The councillor said, ‘The works have vastly improved the aesthetics of the Chamber Hall, and we’re sure that everyone will be pleasantly surprised’. Several years of preparation have made the renovation possible.’
Along with the councillor, the following were present: Daniel Cerezo, Executive Director of the Auditorio; José Luis Rivero, Artistic Director of the institution; Jorge Cabrera, Head of Technical Production; Blanca Arévalo, Office Management Assistant; Ricardo Sanles, sound engineer of RG Sanles Acoustics and project manager; and Julio Orta, Manager of Etcétera Estudio, in charge of the construction site management.
Achieved after a process that has taken several years, this new investment reflects the commitment of the venue’s management to keep the Auditorio de Tenerife up to date and to offer a high-quality public service that targets excellence in its programming and administration. Examples are the continuous, comprehensive inspections of its facilities and the recent certification of its policies regarding environmental protection, tourism and quality, among other concerns.
The first stage of the renovation project, initiated in 2019, saw the acquisition and installation of the bandshell and the updating of the sound system. The subsequent stages, now completed, focused on enhancing the orchestra pit, the proscenium, and the seating areas of the auditorium’s two large halls. These improvements, carried out by three UK-based companies, involved the use of 1,200 square metres of acoustic material, significantly enhancing the venue’s acoustics and overall experience.
A test performance was conducted in August with over 3,000 acoustic diffusion panels that complement the building’s architecture, resulting in improved sound without radical transformation of the venue. The renovation has optimised the acoustics of the Symphonic Hall, its orchestra pit and the Chamber Hall. Although these areas already complied with versatile standard parameters for all types of ensembles and styles, they will now benefit from this cutting-edge technology.
To this end, the company RG Sanles Acoustics performed a study to prepare a tentative project to ensure the best possible execution of the work, right down to the last detail. The company used a scanned, 3-D model of the halls, took abundant measurements, and conducted numerous trials, in addition to analysing the music to be performed and the human voice to optimise performances in the auditorium.
The textures of the wall coverings were altered to enhance the warmth of sounds, boosting lower frequencies while reducing reverberations and disruptions. Although the venue’s sonic distribution and overall volume remain the same, the improvement provided by the new coverings is such that they act as another musician, contributing significantly to every concert. With the addition of diffusion panels, sounds are no longer reflected in a single direction but spread in all directions, resulting in a better listening experience.
The contractor Acoustic GRG Products was hired to oversee the renovation, the manufacturing of the materials, and their installation, and the firm ISS Acoustic & Interiors was also involved. The audio-visual technical staff of the Auditorio de Tenerife have already favourably evaluated the results in the Symphony Hall.
Work was meticulously performed at the reflection points of walls in the Symphonic Hall. High-density plaster reflectors were covered with unpainted, perforated wood panels containing medium-density fibres. The panels, wrapped in acoustically transparent fabric, a technology developed in France and applied in other auditoriums worldwide, ensure the proper reflection of sounds. This innovative approach, rather than damping sounds, enhances their quality. The renovation has also notably improved the perceived clarity of the auditorium’s unique organ, a one-of-a-kind instrument built into the walls of the hall.
The orchestra pit, previously not meeting the standards of sound absorption and acoustics, has been transformed into a space that is both visually and acoustically pleasing with the introduction of new panels. This enhancement is bound to elevate the experience of the public and the musicians of the Sinfónica de Tenerife during the auditorium’s performances, including those of the Opera de Tenerife’s season.
In addition, the side wall of the proscenium and the ramp accessing the hall have been renovated with black, reflective panels comprising a system of perforated surfaces that optimise acoustic diffusion.
As part of the project, significant work was also undertaken in the Chamber Hall, which now features a new entry wall with white wooden diffusion panels that are grooved on their horizontal and vertical edges. Diffusion panels were also installed on the trusses from which the stage lighting is hung.
The bandshell, designed specifically for the stage area of the Symphonic Hall, offers versatility in its setup. The installation of the new equipment presented several challenges, particularly the issue of the front panels reducing the orchestra’s volume. However, the innovative solution of equipping the current white bandshell with adjustable panels and a micro-absorption device has effectively softened sound waves, allowing the musicians to hear each other more clearly.
The results of the renovation may be seen and, in particular, heard by the public starting today (Friday 6th) in the Symphony Hall during the season-opening at 7.30 p.m. with the performance of Triptych: The Missing Door, The Lost Room, and The Hidden Floor. These performances have been recognised at the Spanish Critics’ Awards as the best international theatre production of 2023. The second show will take place tomorrow (Saturday 7th) at the same time.
In addition, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife opens its season next week (Friday 13th) at 7:30 p.m. with works by Weber, Mendelssohn and Sibelius, conducted by Vasily Petrenko and the violinist Sergei Dogadin as soloist.