SARC: Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Sound and Music

Description

SARC was established in 2004 as the Sonic Arts Research Centre at Queen’s University Belfast, led by Professor Michael Alcorn. Funding from Queen’s and Atlantic Philanthropies allowed for the creation of a unique physical and intellectual resource focusing on the intersection between music, technology, sound and society. 

Reflecting a broadening in interdisciplinary research scope, the centre was re-framed as the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Sound and Music as part of a re-launch celebrating 20 years of the SARC building in 2024. Following the appointment of Professor Pedro Rebelo as Director in 2021, the centre is run by a steering committee setting priorities and strategy for the centre and its members. Current membership consists of 42 academics from across six Schools at Queen’s, 23 PhD students and 2 visiting scholars. The membership reflects research interests across performance, composition, sound art, interaction and instrument design, musicology, digital signal processing, ethnography, documentary making, audio-visual, immersive experience, broadcast, urban space, architecture and language.

SARC’s research remit addresses all forms of sound and music from a variety of perspectives including the human, cultural, physical, social, spatial, creative, environmental, technological. This makes for a highly interdisciplinary research environment with outputs ranging from creative practice, experimental study, technological development, scholarship and participatory projects. Research projects based at SARC have received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, British Academy, British Council, as well as from European and International funders.  

SARC is based in a purpose designed building with a state-of-the-art Sonic Laboratory, multichannel studios and post-production suite. The Sonic Lab combines multiple spatial audio formats including Dolby Atmos, Ambisonics, Wave Field Synthesis and the IKO Speaker Array. SARC has an extensive set of professional audio visual recording facilities including Sound Devices field recordings, ambisonic microphones, geopqones and hydrophones. Camera kits include Insta 360 Pro, Sony Burano, Agenieux lenses, Sony FX3, drones and Phantom Hi Speed Camera. Facilities include an Interaction Lab, Maker Space (3d printing, laser cutting, CNC), an Immersive Gallery and the SARC Mobile, a bespoke outdoor broadcast and field recording vehicle. 

The building was opened by Karlheinz Stockhausen in 2004 during Sonorities Festival Belfast, which is hosted biennially by SARC. Facilities in the nearby Music building include the Harty Room concert hall equipped with two full-concert Steinway grand pianos, a double-manual harpsichord, chamber organ and many percussion and specialist instruments.

Funded opportunities are announced through SARC’s website. PhD studentships are available through https://www.qub.ac.uk/Study/postgraduate/research-degrees/funding/

Please note that the centre’s exact address is:
SARC: Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Sound and Music
4 Cloreen Park
Belfast 
BT9 5HN

Offers funding

No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.

Founding year

2004

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University affiliation(s)

Queen's University Belfast
Belfast