Scholars re-create the sounds of worship at an ancient Greek church
The sound reverberates through the space, immersing hundreds of spellbound listeners. Eyes fall closed, heads bow in prayer, and fidgety limbs come to rest. The crowd is lost in a Byzantine soundscape as five singers chant the Akathistos hymn, an Orthodox liturgical chant composed in the sixth century.
But the audience gathered in Central Los Angeles is not only hearing the singers. They are also hearing the sounds of Hagia Sophia, one of the oldest churches in the Greek city of Thessaloniki. This unique auditory moment is made possible by a collaboration between two professors who are re-creating the acoustic experiences of ancient spaces.
“We create what I like to call an ‘acoustic photocopy,’” said Chris Kyriakakis, professor of electrical engineering and director of the Immersive Audio Laboratory at the University of Southern California.
