Thanks to the generosity of Nick Mellis and his “Nick’s Virtual Garage” concert series, I was able to
present a full-length concert on December 16, 2022. Selections include a) entirely new compositions;
b) two classical pieces; c) music and visuals that up until now could only be seen in live performances;
and d) a new composition created using ONLY the sounds made my an MRI machine!
Italian composer, Alfredo Catalani and librettist Luigi Illica, created one of opera’s most beautiful
and most famous arias. And like so many sublimely beautiful arias, it’s contrasted by its subject
matter — one that pervades operas: Wally, the heroine, refuses to marry the man her father has chosen
and basically says, “If I can’t marry the man I am in love with, I shall do myself in.”
For forty-seven years this composition has held a special place in our hearts. This was the piece played
at our wedding. Never gets old.
“Life in Pink…” Ain’t got quite the same ring to it in English, huh? But the song’s still bootiful, ain’t it?
Edith Piaf, Marlene Dietrich, Louis Armstrong and lots of other singers sang it. Now, the theremin does.
Hard to believe that “Lesson From Vinegar Mother” was released five years ago. Back then, audiences
were able to watch both the theremin playing as well as the video. Here’s what you would have seen…
Here’s an interlude to go from the frigid winter to the leading edge of spring. The gardens around
our house provide the background for the All-Theremin Balalaika Ensemble’s rendition of “Troika.”
Many people are experiencing a serious problem with their Thereminis exhibiting compromised sound.
They describe it as “fluttering,” “wiggling,” and “sputtering.” After deciding to see what I could
dig up on this problem, I looked at threads in blogs and other comments, hunting for a solution. So far,
here’s what I’ve found.
That said, I’ve already received word of one instance where the grounding procedure has failed. I’m still
hopeful that the procedure will work for others. I’ll continue to explore possible solutions; it would be
great to find a fix that works 100%. We’ll see…
2013. Two solo concerts, then an improvised set with PascAli that showed why the theremin, and in fact,
all instruments need never be constrained to playing any form of traditional melody, tempo, or genre.
Dissolving those boundaries yields moment to moment exploration. Some might say, “That’s just noise!”
Some might say, “Wow!” everyone responds differently to music that challenges the ear’s, mind’s and
heart’s capacity for accepting the unusual. What will your reaction be? There’s new music on the way.
For now, try the unbound sound below…
Last year, I was contacted by Peter Theremin, great grandson of Lev Termen himself. Peter is an
extraordinary thereminist, someone I admire very much. We’ve occasionally corresponded over the
last few years and he approached me about doing an extended interview during which I answer
questions from other thereminists. It immediately struck me as a marvelous opportunity, so I
responded with a big “yes.”
Something I would love to do someday would be to visit Peter and the other members of his family.
When and if that can happen is anybody’s guess, given the current pandemic and other factors. But
I can always hope…