10 April 2026
AYO and Sottovoce champion lifelong hearing health for musicians
The Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) is strengthening its commitment to the long‑term wellbeing of Australia’s next generation of orchestral musicians through a new partnership with Australian hearing‑health technology company Sottovoce.
As one of the world’s most prestigious and innovative training organisations for orchestral musicians, AYO ensures young people receive not only exceptional artistic training, but also the tools and knowledge required for healthy, sustainable careers. This partnership builds on that commitment, reinforcing the importance of occupational hearing health as a core professional standard in orchestral practice.
AYO Symphonists participant, Alex Yun using Sottovoce’s Aria Tag during AYO Symphonists rehearsal
AYO orchestral participants have been invited to trial Sottovoce’s real‑time hearing‑health technology during rehearsals and concert performances, with the technology is being used by musicians taking part in the AYO Symphonists program in Canberra this week. The wireless system is designed to help musicians protect their hearing while performing at their highest artistic level.
Already in use by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Sottovoce combines discreet wireless wearable ‘Aria tags’ with powerful software to deliver live insights into stage sound levels, individual noise exposure and overall musician wellbeing.
The tags are placed on the musician and are invisible to the audience. Using a digital sound ‘heat map’, musicians and staff can see and better understand the sound environment around them and make informed adjustments to positioning, rostering or implementation of PPE as may be needed.
AYO Symphonists participant, Peta Morton using Sottovoce’s Aria Tag during AYO Symphonists rehearsal
“AYO’s role is not only to train exceptional musicians, but to prepare young artists for long, healthy careers. By incorporating this technology into our programs, we hope to build deeper awareness and understanding of hearing health among our musicians, giving them the knowledge to better manage their wellbeing as they pursue a lifelong career in music,” said AYO Director of Programs, Warren Lenthall.
“Hearing health should be a priority from the very beginning of a musician’s career, not an issue addressed only later on.”
Sottovoce CEO and Co-founder Des O’Neill
“We are looking forward to beginning this partnership at the 2026 AYO Symphonists program in Canberra this month and then continuing with the flagship orchestra in July ahead of performances in Darwin and Sydney.”
Sottovoce Director and Co-founder, Tony David Cray, said partnering with the AYO means Sottovoce can help embed hearing health as a professional standard “from day one, not as an afterthought later in a musician’s career.”
Sottovoce Aria Tags
“Young musicians are at the start of careers that could span decades — protecting their hearing from the outset is one of the most important investments we can make in Australian music,” said Cray. He co‑founded Sottovoce with CEO and Co‑founder Des O’Neill.
“Working with the Australian Youth Orchestra sends an important message: hearing health should be a priority from the very beginning of a musician’s career, not an issue addressed only later on,” said O’Neill. “Sottovoce exists to give organisations the clarity and evidence they need to act. Over time, we believe this work will help shift the industry from reactive compliance to genuine, data‑ and education‑led cultural change.”
About Sottovoce
Sottovoce is an Australian technology company dedicated to protecting the hearing health and long-term careers of performing artists. The recipient of the Australian Good Design Award 2024, the Sottovoce system is the world’s first real-time noise monitoring platform designed specifically for professional orchestras, opera companies, musical theatre and live performance environments.
Using discreet wearable Aria Tags and intelligent mesh technology, the system delivers individualised noise-exposure data, live sound-field analytics and clear compliance reporting, giving organisations trusted insight into what musicians are actually experiencing. Sottovoce helps employers make better-informed decisions, reduce risk, simplify compliance workflows and build safer, more sustainable working environments for performers at every stage of their careers.