Eligible music professionals in attendance at this SXSW panel to receive priority registration for free custom hearing protection via MusiCares®

Santa Monica, Calif. — On Friday, March, 17, 2017, 12:30-1:30 p.m. at the Austin Convention Center (Room 10A), as part of the South By Southwest (SXSW) festival, MusiCares® and The Recording Academy®'s Producers & Engineers Wing® will present "Listen Up: Why Protecting Your Hearing Really Does Matter." Studies have shown that music creators are nearly four times more likely to suffer preventable hearing damage. For artists and engineers alike, healthy hearing is vital to a long and successful career. At this lively and educational panel, attendees will learn how their ears work and what they need to know to protect their hearing for the long haul. Eligible music professionals in attendance will have the first opportunity to register to receive free custom hearing protection via MusiCares, exclusively at SXSW. The panel will be moderated by Maureen Droney, former audio engineer and currently The Recording Academy Managing Director, P&E Wing and Recording Technology. Speakers will include S. Benjamin Kanters, Associate Chair and Associate Professor, Audio Arts & Acoustics Department, Columbia College Chicago; Dr. Michael Santucci, audiologist and founder/president of Sensaphonics Hearing Preservation Foundation; and Brett Bryngelson, MusiCares Program Specialist and Manager. "For audio professionals, taking a long view of hearing loss and protection can be challenging," states Droney. "It may be difficult to notice damage as it is happening, and once it's occurred, it may feel like there is no point in worrying about it anymore. The good news is that there are some easy, common-sense, practical steps that can be taken to preserve your hearing day-to-day. It's so important that we all keep our hearing as healthy as it can be, and this panel will explore ways to make that happen for all of us." About MusiCares: MusiCares provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. MusiCares' services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality.