Yeah - I've read a lot of comments about them, mostly from people saying they just use them at rehearsals. I'm intrigued as to how common they are during concerts.
There’s such a fundamental relationship between the musician, their peers, the room acoustics and the mood the conductor is in, I’m amazed even the lightest attenuation doesn’t strip too much of it away.
I'm quite surprised I seem to be alone in this.
Orchestras rely on individual dynamics for nuance. There's no-one in FOH to tweak the balance. How on earth is an orchestral player supposed to nail dynamics whilst wearing ear protection?
Is the suggestion here that BC shouldn't allow any criticism / joshing?
How about if none of us are acquainted with the subject (personally, or via social media), is that allowable?
The practical answer to that is ‘If you don’t like any sort of criticism, don’t perform in public, and don’t post anything on social media.’
It comes with the territory.