Open AccessNoise sensitivity and hearing disability
Author(s) -
Marja Hein-Guzejev,
T. Jauhiainen,
Heikki S. Vuorinen,
Anne Viljanen,
Taina Rantanen,
Markku Koskenvuo,
Kauko Heikkilä,
Helena MussaloRauhamaa,
Jaakko Kaprio
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
noise and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1998-4030
pISSN - 1463-1741
DOI - 10.4103/1463-1741.74002
Subject(s) - ballet , dance , ballet dancer , audiology , musical , noise (video) , musical instrument , visual arts , art , acoustics , medicine , computer science , image (mathematics) , physics , artificial intelligence
With over 70 dancers and its own orchestra, The National Ballet of Canada ranks amongst the world's top dance companies. It performs three seasons annually: fall, winter and summer, plus many shows of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker. The 70-strong orchestra plays an average of 360 hours/year including rehearsals and performances. Rehearsals are held at two locations: one in a ballet rehearsal room with little or no absorption, and the other in an acoustically treated location. Performances are held in the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto. The present survey was done at the request of the National Ballet, since the musicians complained of excessive sound levels and were concerned about possible hearing losses. The survey was performed using five dosimeters Quest Mod 300 during 10 performances of the ballet Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev, deemed as the noisiest in the whole repertoire. Results of the survey indicate that the noise exposure levels from only the orchestra's activities do not present risk of hearing loss. Exposure due to other musical activities was, however, not included.