From the Gandia Campus of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), we present “Sonarte: Science and Luthiery in Dialogue”, a new project aimed at fostering scientific, technological, and innovation culture among the general public, and particularly among university and pre-university students. This project is funded by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) – Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
The project consists of organizing activities related to luthiery and science, exploring the construction of musical instruments from an interdisciplinary perspective. It is led by Rubén Picó, a researcher and expert in musical acoustics at the Gandia Campus, who heads a team composed of research and technical staff from UPV, Universitat de València, the Higher Conservatory of Music of Valencia, and Universidade Nova de Lisboa.
The project also includes the participation of highly recognized luthiers from different European contexts linked to both tradition and innovation in instrument making. These include professionals from Valencia, Barcelona, and Cremona (Italy), one of the historically most important cities in international luthiery. Their participation will allow the public to engage with both traditional craft techniques and new scientific approaches applied to the acoustic study of instruments.
This initiative combines the dissemination of scientific research in acoustics and materials with the artisanal techniques of luthiery, complemented by an artistic and musical approach. Practical workshops, lectures, outreach activities, and educational concerts will be held so that participants can understand how science, technology, and art intertwine in the creation of musical instruments. Activities will begin in September 2026 and are supported by the Gandia Campus Library.
Science and Luthiery Workshops: When Acoustics Becomes Music
The Science and Luthiery Workshops will offer a hands-on, musical, and experimental experience aimed at discovering how sound science influences the construction, functioning, and perception of musical instruments. The activity will take place in person at the Gandia Campus (UPV), encouraging personalized attention and active audience participation.
The workshops will be organized through different interactive stations focused on the physics and music of string, wind, and percussion instruments. Through hands-on experiences and practical demonstrations, participants will explore how vibrations are generated, how sound propagates, and how aspects such as materials, resonance, or instrument shape influence musical timbre. The activities will combine scientific explanation, active listening, and direct experimentation, bringing musical acoustics closer to the public from a participatory, technological, and outreach-oriented perspective.
Small experimental tests will be conducted using acoustic analysis tools and sound visualization technologies, observing phenomena related to vibrations, normal modes, and the acoustic response of different instruments. The proposal aims to turn music into an experience that can be listened to, observed, and understood, showing how art, science, and technology constantly interact in sound creation.
Educational Concert: Discovering Science Through Music
The Educational Concert offers an interactive experience that combines musical performance and scientific outreach in a format accessible to audiences of all ages. The event will be held in the Aula Magna of the Gandia Campus (UPV) and will also be live-streamed through social media, extending its reach and participation.
During the session, instruments built during the workshop, as well as previously crafted ones, will be presented, explaining the materials, construction techniques, and acoustic principles that shape their sound. Afterwards, specialized musicians will perform different pieces to demonstrate, in a practical way, concepts such as timbre, resonance, and pitch variation, integrating scientific explanation with artistic experience.
The concert will conclude with a participatory session in which the audience will interact with the instruments and reflect on the relationship between science, music, and learning, fostering interest in scientific culture from a close and experimental perspective.
Lectures by Luthiers and Researchers in Musical Acoustics
The Lectures by Luthiers and Researchers in Musical Acoustics will create a meeting space between artisanal tradition and applied science, bringing audiences closer to both instrument-making processes and the scientific analysis of sound. The sessions will be held at the Gandia Campus (UPV), in person with the possibility of online participation.
Each lecture will combine specialized talks and practical demonstrations. Luthiers will present instruments and construction techniques, while researchers specializing in musical acoustics will explain how tools such as spectrum analysis and oscilloscopes are used to study the physical properties of sound and better understand the acoustic response of instruments.
The activity will conclude with an open discussion between specialists and attendees, encouraging knowledge exchange among musicians, students, and the general public. Additionally, the lectures will be recorded and disseminated, generating open-access outreach materials and reference resources for future educational and cultural activities.
The SONARTE project aims to address a gap in current scientific outreach: the limited presence of initiatives that integrate science, music, and luthiery from a practical, participatory, and experimental perspective. In the Valencian Community, a region with one of the most deeply rooted musical traditions in Europe and more than 1,200 active musical societies, there is a particularly favorable context for developing new initiatives that connect musical practice with scientific dissemination and acoustic experimentation.
Through initiatives like this, the Gandia Campus reinforces its commitment to scientific and cultural outreach, promoting spaces for interaction between music, science, and society. SONARTE aims to become a meeting point for researchers, musicians, luthiers, students, and the general public, showing how the scientific understanding of sound can enrich musical experience and open new pathways for learning, creation, and cultural participation.