Community members with hearing loss are encouraged to come to try out the new “Loop” hearing assist system. Volunteer hearing specialists will be on hand to assist people to access the sound directly through their hearing devices or to try out one of The Shedd’s receiver packs and earpiece.

“Copper wire induction loops are an older technology that delivers pure, uncluttered sound directly to the listener. It is the system that people with hearing loss prefer, but for some reason we in the hearing community haven’t really listened to them,” said Ginevra Ralph, Director of Education. “We are thrilled to offer this critical accessibility to both music and the spoken word, and look forward to looping additional venues at The Shedd.” Local businesswoman Sue Prichard tried out the loop in The Shedd’s Ticket Office and said, “I haven’t heard anything this clearly since I started losing my hearing 20 years ago.” At a recent classical acoustic concert Prichard was able to hear every song lyric. Another patron using the loop with a cochlear implant stated, “I never thought I would hear strings again.”

Featured music on the 18th includes members of The Shedd’s Emerald City Jazz Kings (led by Jesse Cloninger and featuring Siri Vik on vocals), vocal excerpts from The Shedd’s upcoming winter musical, Singing In The Rain, featuring Trevor Eichhorn and Cyra Conforth, and classical duets by clarinetist Michael Anderson and violinist Alice Blankenship. The community is encouraged to try out the loop on both the main floor and in the new, freestanding balcony, as well as the Ticket Office.

The event is sponsored by Grants Hearing Center.