Audio Design for Sami Yusuf & the Fons Sophiae Collective at the FÈS Festival

Auditoria delivered the audio design, system optimisation and live mixing for composer and maestro Sami Yusuf and the Fons Sophiae Collective during two sold-out performances at the 29th FÈS Festival of World Sacred Music in Morocco.

Working on behalf of our client Astiana, the team supported Sami Yusuf’s fourth appearance at the festival, held within the historic surroundings of Bab al Makina in Fes. Joined by Moroccan guest artists Nabyla Maan and Sidi Ismael Bouja, the performances brought together sacred, Andalusian and traditional musical influences before audiences of more than 5,000 people each evening.

Although Auditoria has an established workflow with Sami Yusuf and his production team, each performance brings its own unique nuances and technical considerations.

Many of the instruments featured throughout the programme were developed long before amplified performance existed. Preserving their natural character while reinforcing them for a large outdoor audience requires careful microphone techniques, thoughtful system optimisation and a mixing approach that preserves the character of each instrument.

Those decisions became even more important within the festival environment. The loudspeaker system and venue layout were fixed, leaving little opportunity to alter the physical deployment, while the production was built around equipment sourced from suppliers within the region rather than the standard touring specification.

Auditoria responded with a flexible control package centred around Yamaha CL5 consoles and Yamaha RIO stage racks, supplemented by a travelling system of recording, show control and carefully selected microphones that accompanied the production throughout the performances. Bricasti M7 reverbs and a bespoke collection of microphones and contact microphones for traditional instruments ensured consistency where it mattered most, integrating with the festival’s existing Adamson E15 loudspeaker system.

“One of the most interesting aspects of working with Sami Yusuf is that so many of the instruments were never intended to be amplified,” says Ethan Curry, Audio Consultant at Auditoria. “The challenge is always finding the best way to capture them without losing what makes them unique. Every project teaches you something new, and over several productions with Sami we’ve been able to keep refining that approach.”