Renkus-Heinz tames Sao Paulo’s Basilica Nosa Senora do Rosario
Published: WORSHIP
BRAZIL: Despite being constructed less than 10 years ago, Sao Paulo’s Basilica Nosa Senora do Rosario boasts gothic-style architecture reminiscent of famous medieval grand cathedrals such as Notre Dame and Saint Chapelle in Paris. Likewise, the building’s large and open interior similarly suffers from problems with reverberation that hinders speech intelligibility during services. With more than 1,200 pilgrims journeying to the church every month, the decision was made to outfit the sanctuary with a brand new sound reinforcement system. Church leaders were seeking a ‘visually unobtrusive system capable of delivering clear and intelligible sound throughout the space’, leading Diego Nascimento Brito and the team at systems integrator AMI Music to select a beam-steering Iconyx solution from Renkus-Heinz.
‘Masses at the basilica are very traditional, with no instrumental music but a lot of Gregorian chant, along with spoken word,’ explained Mr Brito. ‘To handle the main part of the room, we mounted a pair of Renkus-Heinz IC16-R-II digitally steerable line arrays to the columns that flank the base of the steps to the stage. From there, we could steer multiple beams to cover the room while minimising the effects of the many reflective surfaces.’
A pair of wall-mounted Renkus-Heinz IC7-II columns serves the altar, while another pair of IC7-IIs serves the mezzanine. To help the speakers blend into the surrounding décor, AMI Music got the manufacturer to provide the units in a custom finish to match the building’s crimson walls. ‘The IC7-IIs also proved an excellent solution for the corridor, as well, thanks to their controlled dispersion,’ offered Mr Brito. The team installed a pair of stacked IC7-II columns on either side of the front of the corridor, beneath the arches, with a delayed pair mounted further down the corridor.
‘The combination of the IC16-R-II main pair and the 10 IC7-IIs has worked perfectly,’ Mr Brito enthused. ‘The client says everything is fantastic. They love the system and they want us to put a Renkus-Heinz system in the sacristy as well. People from other local churches have come to the basilica to check out the new sound system and everyone has been very impressed.’