ABSTRACT
Because musicians have a critical dependence on hearing, and because exposure levels
of music are known to be potentially hazardous to hearing, one might assume that hearing
conservation is a critical and valued core educational component to any and all music
instruction. However, in most music educational settings, there has been little or
no mention of any health risks associated with music. Organizations such as the National
Association of Music Education, the National Association of Schools of Music, the
Texas Center for Music & Medicine, and the Performing Arts Medicine Association are
now working together to establish priorities and guidelines concerning the hearing,
physical, and psychological health of musicians and music students. Every music educator
in the United States should be aware of the need for teaching hearing-loss prevention
principles and should be willing to provide instructional time for this agenda. Such
actions will make a significant contribution to hearing-conservation efforts on behalf
of all children.
KEYWORDS
Hearing-loss prevention - noise-induced hearing loss - NIHL
REFERENCES
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Kris CheskyPh.D.
College of Music, University of North Texas
Denton, TX 76203
Email: kchesky@music.unt.edu
