In article ,
Pooh Bear wrote:

Jenn wrote:

In article .com,
"Andre Jute" wrote:

Arny Kruger Lie No. 51281:

professional musicians, particularly classical performers, are likely to
be
hearing-damaged due to exposure to loud sounds

Prove this vicious generalization, Krueger.

It's clearly a false statement.

Hearing impairment in orchestral musicians.

Ostri B, Eller N, Dahlin E, Skylv G.

Department of Audiology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Symphony orchestra musicians from The Royal Danish Theatre (15 females and 80
males) aged 22 to 64 years were audiologically examined to elucidate the
presence
and the frequency of noise-induced hearing loss among classical musicians.
Compared to a reference material (ISO 7029) the median hearing thresholds of
the
musicians were increased for all age groups. When using hearing sensitivity
in one
or both ears less than 20 dB HL as a criterion for normality, it was found
the 58%
of the musicians had a hearing impairment. 50% of the males and 13% of the
females
showed a typical audiogram with a notched curve at higher frequencies
normally
attributed to occupational noise exposure. Furthermore, a significantly
poorer
hearing on the left ear was found at higher frequencies among the violinists.
It
is concluded that symphonic musicians suffer from hearing impairment and that
the
impairment might be ascribed to symphonic music.

PMID: 2609103 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


Graham

This is far less a concern now than in previous years due to efforts,
mostly from the AFofM, to prevent such damage. If you look at the stage
set-up of a great many professional orchestras, you will see individual
sonic barriers between the percussion and the back row of winds, often
attached to individual chairs. Many, many players use ear plugs while
on stage. The American Symphony Orchestra League has sponsored studies
in the past couple of years to test the effectiveness of such measures;
I'll try to dig them out of my library and post them here. In any case,
the statement that professional musicians are "likely" to have suffered
hearing damage is ridiculous. The majority of classical musicians don't
even perform in large ensembles.