A study of 107 musicians in the Orchestra of Milan's La Scala examined the presence of hearing impairment among musicians exposed to prolonged high-volume sound. Average tenure was 27.1 years, and findings of hearing impairment were identified in 23.3% of participants.
The University of Milan and La Scala examined how musicians' ears are affected by demanding acoustic conditions, such as those in an orchestra pit. The study covered 107 members of the La Scala Orchestra.
The results showed that the members had an average tenure of 27.1 years, and findings of noise-induced hearing impairment were identified in 23.3%. This figure is reported to indicate a higher rate of hearing impairment than the estimate for general factory workers.
Among the 80 people whose results could be compared with examinations conducted approximately 11 years earlier, the decline in hearing was at a level comparable to age-related changes. The cause of the impact on the ears is not yet clear, and may involve factors beyond the volume of the sound alone.
Violinists tended to have poorer hearing in the left ear. The left ear is considered more susceptible to the instrument's close-range sound, suggesting that hearing protection and improvements to the workplace environment will be issues for the future.