At a meeting of EU noise experts in Bilbao, Russell Jones, Director of the Association of British Orchestras, will accept the award. Hearing loss among rock musicians is familiar but classical musicians face similar hazards. So does this spell the end for Shostakovich and Mahler?

Malcolm Warne Holland, orchestra and concerts director of Opera North, who has suffered a "dulling" of hearing on one side after 20 years as a trombone player, thinks not. "Wagner is notoriously noisy, but loud music that is nice is much easier to endure than loud music that isn’t,” he said. “High squeaks are more tiring than louder music, and peaks of sound can be loud enough to be dangerous."

Alison Wright Read, a health and safety expert, is a specialist in helping orchestras to protect players. Her report for the ABO, A Sound Ear, advocated "noise training" for musicians and noise teams to tackle the problem, which if ignored can lead to hearing loss, pitch distortion, tinnitus and pain. She said: "Half of brass players say their hearing can become less sensitive. Woodwind players become over-sensitive, when the brain makes the sound seem even louder."

Fortunately, there are things that can be done. One technique is to rake the orchestra at different levels, so that the brass section plays over the heads of those in front of them.

"Another idea is marking up the score so that everybody can see when there is going to be a loud passage, and is ready for it," said Ms Wright Read. "Normally musicians only have their own parts, so they can’t see when the timpani comes in." Technical changes can help. Panels attached to the walls absorb sound and make it easier for players to hear each other, so they don’t have to play so loud.

Customised ear-plugs are also used, and Perspex screens can be put on chair backs. Mr Warne Holland also thinks about the repertoire. "When we play at Dewsbury Town Hall, for example, we would choose smaller pieces."

Marc Stevens, concert manager of The London Symphony Orchestra, said: "We’re experimenting with changing the layout of the orchestra. Having first and second strings facing each other across the conductor seems to help."

By Nigel Hawkes
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1921272,00.html