Participants of the Sensaphonics Gold Circle seminar for audiologists gathered in the control room at Mystery Street Recording Company, Chicago. From left: Dale Radke, Joe Tessone, Eric Nelson, Analise Ludwig, Theresa Bartlett, Helene Levenfus, and Dr Michael Santucci.

Participants of the Sensaphonics Gold Circle seminar for audiologists gathered in the control room at Mystery Street Recording Company, Chicago. From left: Dale Radke, Joe Tessone, Eric Nelson, Analise Ludwig, Theresa Bartlett, Helene Levenfus, and Dr Michael Santucci.

Sensaphonics announces five more hearing health professionals have successfully completed the company’s gold circle training seminar. The 2-day course includes in-depth teaching sessions at Sensaphonics headquarters, plus a hands-on studio session with a live band. The event took place last month at Sensaphonics headquarters and Mystery Street Recording Company, both in Chicago, Ill.

The audiologists who took part in the certification are: Theresa Bartlett of Virginia Hearing Consultants in Norfolk, Va; Helene Levenfus of Cedar Audiology in Lyndhurst, Ohio; independent audiologist Analise Ludwig of Minneapolis, Minn; Eric Nelson of Weill Cornell Medical College, New York; and Dale Radke of Hearing Consultants in Kittery, Me.

Sensaphonics is an in-ear monitoring (IEM) solutions manufacturer that specializes in musicians’ hearing health. The gold circle seminar is designed to teach audiologists the specific skills required to successfully assist musicians and sound engineers.

“Most musicians just want their ear impressions so they can buy their in-ears,” explains Sensaphonics Founder and President Michael Santucci, AuD, “but that should really be the beginning, not the end, of the audiologist’s role. Audiologists are routinely expected to provide dangerously loud IEMs to musicians, yet in-ear monitoring is not typically covered in the college curriculum. That’s why we developed the gold circle seminar: to create a growing network of audiologists trained to meet the specific performance and hearing health needs of musicians.”

Instructors for the Gold Circle seminar include Dr Santucci and Sensaphonics audio engineering consultant Joe “Sound Guy” Tessone. Topics include in-ear monitoring and hearing protection technology, concert sound system design, backstage etiquette, and marketing to musicians and music fans, all in the context of promoting safe listening practices and evidence-based audiology. Attendees are also certified to take proper full-shell ear impressions.

The highlight of the seminar is a hands-on lab session working with a live band using in-ear monitors for the first time. The featured performers were members of a Chicago group, Last Second Drop. “These live music sessions are great for both the musicians and the audiologists,” says sound engineer Joe Tessone. “They get to interact prior to and during the performance, ask questions, take level measurements, and experience how an in-ear monitor system works first-hand.”

The next gold circle seminars will be held in July 11-12 in Chicago. Due to limited class size, interested audiologists should contact Sensaphonics (www.sensaphonics.com) for more information. A list of Sensaphonics gold circle audiologists is also available on the company Web site.

 Source: Sensaphonics