Incense rises, but cold air descends.  AC units are not quiet, but more $$ will likely be quieter.  Is there an organ?  Can you dump the cold air at the top of the organ, then let it gently fall through the organ, and cool the choir before it descends to the nave? 

 

I have an organ in a transept, essentially filling up the opening, (actually the transept is really the organ chamber) and the hot air just sits in the GT, but the SW on ground level is cooler.  I located a quiet box style fan horizontally on the floor behind the organ sending a supply of cooler, floor level air up to the top of the chamber and out of the GT.  That constant flow (continuously when the organ is "on") helps keep the divisions at the same temperature.  This, of course, is not the same as your situation, but some of the same principles might be applied.  It's a little noisy, but not as noisy as the ceiling fans.  Constant white noise of HVAC does nothing to the subtety of music! 

 

I think the key is to get the supply somewhat higher than the people, and certainly about most of the pipes, if there are pipes. 

 

Mark Nelson

www.stjohnsgloucester.org

 

Have you thought about a "clean air machine"?  They are relatively quiet and can help with your air quality situation.  I have major allergies with cats and (believe it or not) poinsettas (from all those YEARS of being exposed to bowers of them) and a clean air machine does help.  You could use it in combination with fans and a AC rig up of some sort.  I have noticed a huge difference when I use one of them and they come in different sizes.  The filter needs to be cleaned occassionally but it's worth it.  Stinky air doesn't help your singers, that's for sure.

 

Marie

Hi Dan --

  This may not help, since you mention "other loft-bound choirs", but during the unpleasantly hot times in our church (which are fewer than most, given that we're in Vermont), we sing at the congregation's level and frequently acapella.  We do have a piano in the sanctuary, but if the weather turns suddenly humid, it can get out of tune.  Sometimes we sing from the back of the church, sometimes the front.  We have sung introits from seats in the pews.  Since summer attendance is lighter in our church than during the school year, this also helps the congregation feel substantial.  When I started this, the congregation was shocked -- now, some actually say they look forward to having the choir among them.

  Then it is only me in the choir loft on the organ, and I place a small ultra-quiet fan where it blows directly on me.  Doesn't cool much, but at least the air is moving.

  Best of luck,

Patricia Norton

For years our gallery with choir and organ has been about 15 degrees warmer than the nave.  To make a long story short  we made big improvements without spending a lot of money. Organ sits above the choir's heads in a terraced loft. Originally had two vents above the choir's heads on either side - one for outflow and one a return. Had an AC engineer come out: turns out that the return wasn't working properly and the unit feeding the choir hadn't been serviced in who-knows-how-long. Ultimately through just venting we made the intake and outflow vents both outflow and added a return under the organ case so that cool air drops down and cools choir and organ. Not perfect now but much better. I have done the fan thing but it blows the music; too cool for some and not enough for others.

Our building is narrow and high and the organbuilder had suggested a fix he used in another building - cut a small opening right at the top of the building, attach a small fan to pull the air and vent the air back into the cooling/heating system.

Rick McKnight

St. Thomas Episocpal Church

Columbus GA