SynthWise

The Bob Moog Foundation has not only been doing great work to catalogue Bob's archives but tremendous outreach too. As an embodiment of the mission to carry on his innovations fitting together as a new organic whole the human and the technical, Sean McDonald and other foundation members worked with HatchFest (an arts festival focused on innovation which is held regionally in different parts of the country), and the software group VidVox on some cool new Theremin Magic.

Delia Derbyshire worked her way into the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in the early 1960s, a time when women often were still not allowed to work in recording studios and rarely found in experimental music labs.

In 1963 she produced a landmark work and one of the most famous television themes ever, her electronic realization for Doctor Who.

Poster: Senster and spacedog

Thereminst and sound artist Sarah Angliss has been perfecting her Theremin Playing Robot Doll Clara now at version 2.0.

Sarah's also known here at TW as part of the science inspired performing group Senster and is the artist known as spacedog (in honor of the first K9 cosmonaut).

Many at TW have been aware of the popularity of the Theremin in Japan, and how it seems much greater, comparatively at least, than here in the States or Europe.

To further add to that impression, the Theremin was recently featured in a few pages of the manga "Nodame Cantabile"(wikipedia entry).
The ongoing story follows a music student, Megumi Noda, in her adventures with a strong mix of humor and romance.

Many at TW have been aware of the popularity of the Theremin in Japan, and how it seems much greater, comparatively at least, than here in the States or Europe.

To further add to that impression, the Theremin was recently featured in a few pages of the manga "Nodame Cantabile"(wikipedia entry).
The ongoing story follows a music student, Megumi Noda, in her adventures with a strong mix of humor and romance.

photo L.E.Parker

Well maybe not exactly a steam theremin (at least not yet) but performance artist, and Art Institute of California faculty member, Lorin Edwin Parker did build a steam powered synthesizer, The Parker Steam Synthesizer.

As part of his UFO installation with artist Jay Stuckey, he built ten different custom theremins.
And for his latest Electric Western project, he built an all retro-tech tube theremin recreating as closely as possible Lev Termen's 1919 original.

Keeping a Do-It-Yourself approach to all his work, his projects have included a wide variety of unique apparatuses.

photo L.E.Parker

Well maybe not exactly a steam theremin (at least not yet) but performance artist, and Art Institute of California faculty member, Lorin Edwin Parker did build a steam powered synthesizer, The Parker Steam Synthesizer.

As part of his UFO installation with artist Jay Stuckey, he built ten different custom theremins.
And for his latest Electric Western project, he built an all retro-tech tube theremin recreating as closely as possible Lev Termen's 1919 original.

Keeping a Do-It-Yourself approach to all his work, his projects have included a wide variety of unique apparatuses.

Jesse Jones has created a ghostly piece about the ideologies prevalent in Russia at the time Lenin was sending Lev on tour with the newly invented theremin.
Titled "The Specter and the Sphere" the 16mm film features Lydia Kavina filmed performing in theatrical venues.

The film and art exhibition are featured at the Project Arts Centre in Dublin May 16 - June 14.

It soun

On the Ides of March (the 15th), Portland fashion designer K. Sims presented her latest neo-Victorian-fantasy ladies evening gowns.

The fashion show was accompanied by theremin and musical saw. But we haven't found who the players were. Portland TW members chime in if you know more!

A full write up with photos of K. Sims designs is at » read more | add new comment | original article