Though musicians bristle at the claim, some evidence suggests the classics are just loud noise for the non-music lover. In the 1990s, opera singers rehearsing in a Copenhagen park apparently caused a rare African okapi at the nearby zoo to collapse and die from stress.

RTWT

The article is dealing with more than killing of animals, of course. It’s about hearing damage. And yes, I would guess I’ve hurt my hearing over the years, sitting where I do. But no, I don’t play with earplugs if I can help it. When I do use earplugs I lose too much sensitivity to intonation and more. In addition I hear my tongue clicking and it drives me nuts.

I wouldn’t want our “noise” to be regulated by government officials. I think self-monitoring is a much better way to deal with the issue. We use sound shields in the orchestras I’m involved in. They help. A little.