Measurements of stage acoustics in four configurations of an open-air performance acoustic shell

Different design recommendations for stage design and parameters for objectively measuring the stage conditions have been proposed. These recommendations aim to provide the right balance to each musician on stage, consisting in hearing one-self (support) and hearing others (ensamble). These aspects become even more challenging for open-air acoustic shells. The paper presents the case-study of ReS, an acoustic shell developed in the frame of ”Villa Pennisi in Musica” Summer School, a ”learning by doing”-based workshop approach that promotes the integration of acoustics, digital optimization and technology in an environment of musicians with different levels of expertise.This paper focuses on the results of an extensive measurement campaign on six different configurations of the acoustic shell in its 2021 workshop edition, to provide a contemporary overview of research into stage acoustics. The design elements related to the reflectors array, sound diffuser, and shell boundaries have been considered separately and in combination to investigate their effects on the objective stage acoustic parameters that is early and late support (STearly and STlate) and spectral content. To this aim, the musicians configuration of a sestetto has been considered. The results show that some significant effects could be attributed to the reflectors array and diffusers.