TO MARK THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF THE THEREMIN – NY THEREMIN SOCIETY RELEASES ‘THEREMIN 100’ AND LAUNCHES SERIES OF SPECIAL EVENTS CURATED BY THEREMIN MASTER DORIT CHRYSLER

To mark the 100th birthday of the theremin, the NY THEREMIN SOCIETY is pleased to announce the release of THEREMIN 100 – a compilation featuring 50 international theremin artists from 18 countries performing original works and new songs. THEREMIN 100 will be released on January 17 and is available on limited Vinyl Edition, Audio CD and Digital Format capturing today’s thriving and diverse Theremin Community.  The compilation also includes a foreword by Albert Glinsky, author of “THEREMIN: ETHER MUSIC AND ESPIONAGE”, who says who says, “As we mark the 100th anniversary of Lev Theremin’s beguiling etherphone, the instrument has come to enjoy a rich repertoire and an enduring identity, its inventor would be proud of. Lev’s primal ‘electronic Orpheus’ lament’ has spawned innumerable works and experiments across genres. The collection of music on this release is a testament to that legacy, representing the rich variety of approaches to a now classic instrument – an instrument that will forever inspire musicians to conjure new creations out of the spellbinding ‘ether.’”

Curated by master theremin player Dorit Chrysler who says, “Tracks were chosen to highlight versatility in style, musicality, technique and innovation. I am so proud of the result and grateful for the opportunity of helping to bring attention to the current state of the theremin in composition. The theremin is still obscure in status, so I intended for this release to change the perception of the instrument a bit, demonstrating all the different things it can do.” The compilation features thereminists from all over the globe –  a girl playing in a rock band in Peru to a Japanese theremin orchestra breaking Guinness book records, from Icelandic experimental to Australian goth, pop to classical,” she adds. Mike Adams, President of Moog Music who is supporting this release adds, “This is some of THE best Theremin music I have ever heard compiled.”

To help celebrate the 100th birthday of the Theremin and the release of Theremin 100, Dorit Chrysler and The New York Theremin Society has curated a series of events that will take place in various countries throughout 2020.

The album’s release will be celebrated by the first event of the series on February 8 at Brooklyn’s Ambient Church/Bushwick Methodist Church honoring a rare performance of Clara Rockmore’s repertoire on the 100th anniversary of the instrument she helped to innovate. As a tribute to Rockmore from electronic music pioneer Laurie Spiegel and Dorit Chrysler, Laurie Spiegel wrote a new work for theremin and piano, having the period of Clara’s youth working with Leon T himself in her mind and inner ear, this composition will be played by Dorit Chrysler on theremin accompanied on piano by Lana Anikin Suran. Clara Rockmore (1911-1998), the world’s first female electronic musician is widely regarded as the greatest Theremin player to have ever lived.

A very special guest, heralded as one of the greatest contemporary thereminists, will also make his US debut to honor the great Clara Rockmore with a tribute of her repertoire.

The event will also feature the NY Theremin Orchestra performing original compositions along with selected pieces from Brian Eno and Kraftwerk. Throughout the evening, members of the New York Theremin Society will contextualize the theremin within 20th century music, art, and technology. Performances for the evening will be accompanied as always by architecturally-mapped projections.

Additional events will be announced through out 2020

TH100 compilation and events with the support of Moog Music, the world’s leading theremin producer

SIDE A
01 – Grégoire Blanc –  Waves 05:49
02 – Japan Theremin Orchestra 04:02
03 – Hyperbubble – (I’m Your) Satellite 03:57
04 – Charlie Draper – For Lev 01:46
05 – Peg Ming – Therexotica 02:25
06 – Therminal C – Sputnik Crash 02:23

01 – Christopher Payne – Somnambulist 04:06
02 – Radio Science Orchestra – Atom Age Girl 02:27
03 – Carolina Eyck – Reja 03:42
04 – Lydia Kavina – In Green 02:38
05 – Dorit Chrysler – Murderballad 02:59
06 – Hekla – Indendaro 04:51

Tracks of note include “BURY ME, BURY ME WIND,” a composition written for theremin in 1930, one of the first compositions for theremin by Joseph Schillinger, a friend of the inventor. When this piece was being premiered in 1931, Lev Theremin performed the part on the theremin himself. Also noteworthy is a pop caper written by Bruce Woolley who wrote “Video Killed the Radio Star”. He is behind the Science Radio Orchestra and the song features two thereminists, Charlie Draper (UK) and Lydia Kavina (Russia). There is also a touching performance by Japan Theremin Old School, led by Masami Takeuchi who taught over 800 Japanese theremin students. The piece was recorded before he had a stroke that disabled him from continuing to play the theremin. The compositions on the second part feature his students finishing the composition and playing along with the original works, embracing his melody lovingly like a comforting blanket in the added harmonies.