A historical archive of announcements, events, and community news from the theremin world.
This page has long since been supplanted by the Levnet Mailing List.
The TECI Theremin Bulletin Board was the original gathering place for theremin enthusiasts before the advent of modern social media and mailing lists. It was here that members shared news, announced events, and connected with one another.
Today, the Bulletin Board serves as a historical archive. It documents the early days of the theremin revival in the 1990s, when a small but passionate community of enthusiasts was working to preserve the legacy of Leon Theremin and Clara Rockmore.
The entries below are preserved as they were originally posted. Some of the information may be outdated, and some of the links may no longer work. But the spirit of the community lives on in these pages.
For current discussions, we invite you to join the Levnet Mailing List, which has replaced the Bulletin Board as the primary forum for TECI members.
Classical Thereminist and Video Documentary Maker, Ross Marshall, is in the process of making a Theremin Player's Documentary and is looking for Theremin pieces by players to go into the video series. He is also looking to include any video of Theremin Products. Members are welcome to send him your best performances (in VHS or HI-8 format).
Check out his web site at Plutonium Films Distribution for additional details. Vol 1 in the series is titled "Theremin: The Stringless Violin" (60+ minutes). Ross is also looking for material on Paula Mary, a 1950's Theremin player.
Thierry Rochebois has been asked to write an article on Theremins for the French magazine "Keyboards", to be published in March, along with an interview with Jean Michel Jarre who speaks about the Theremin. Thierry is hoping TECI members can send him a picture of a "Cool and Modern Theremin" as well as an "antique model" to be published with his paper. Whoever provides him with the photos will be cited in the article.
Rosalyn Tureck, the world famous Bach pianist and former student of Leon Theremin, gave a Theremin recital at Carnegie Hall in 1932. Read about her first hand account of her time with Theremin at Rosalyn Tureck, the Theremin and Electronic Piano.
Peter Pringle has advised TECI that he has been asked by CBC Radio Canada to demonstrate the Theremin on a program called FAITES VOS GAMMES. This is a weekly show hosted by the classical violinist Angele Dubeau (wife of the owner and president of Analecta Records). Since it will be shown nationally, he'll let TECI know when it will be aired. Peter has asked the Spanish composer Jose Evangelista (the composer-in-residence with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra) to write him an original composition for theremin to perform on the show. Stay tuned for details!
Everyday With Practical Electronics Magazine (UK) has moved to a larger office, and they now have a web site. They currently have their new 'Elysian' Midi-compatible theremin in publication at this moment so be sure to check it out.
The Tactus Press has recently announced the addition of a new series of books called the "Thin Air Series". The first book in the series is METHOD FOR THE THEREMIN BOOK I : BASICS. The book is planned with the idea that the reader/student has previous basic music training, can read simple written music and has the ability to recognize major and minor scales and their intervals.
The Tactus Press
P.O. Box 9704 - Dept. T1
Austin, TX 78766-9704
Paul Taub is looking for an original RCA Theremin in good playing condition, to replace one that had been in his family since the 1920's and was lost in a tragic accident.
Gary S. Hoffman, son of the notable thereminist Samuel Hoffman, is offering his father's historic theremin for sale. This is the same theremin seen and heard in the documentary "Theremin: An Odyssey", heard in countless 50's science fiction movies ("The Day the Earth Stood Still", "The Red House", "The Lost Weekend" etc), and the same one used to record on many popular albums, including the Lex Baxter series.
This theremin is one of the 200 theremins built in 1929, and is unique in that it has a full standing mahogany case instead of the familiar box on 4 legs. It stands 5' 4" and has been kept in immaculate condition.
Ira B. Kraemer of Ira B. Kraemer & Company — Fine Violins recently e-mailed a proposal to the Caramoor Music Festival concerning the establishment of a Theremin festival in honor of Lucy B. Rosen. To date there has been no response. On the suggestion of Jason Barile, he is requesting that all interested members contact Caramoor in support of his suggestion.
Glenn Manuel has built a theremin and plans to use it to provide "sound" for improvisational dance, similar to Mr. Theremin's Terpsitone. He is experimenting with the size, shape, and placement of the antennas and would appreciate any info anyone might have about dancing with a theremin.
Albert Glinsky is busy updating and revising his book "Out of Thin Air: Theremin and the Age of Ether", for publication and is soliciting materials to be added to it.
Check out Albert's TECI Page or Albert's AOL Home Page. Albert is also conducting regular "Ace Detective" type queries to solicit specific Theremin related information. Check out Albert's Ace Detective Query if you want to help.
Jason Barile has started an RCA Theremin Registry at the Theremin Home Page. Jason informs us that, according to Dr. Moog, 500 RCA Theremins were made and Dr. Moog estimates only half of them remain. Apparently many of them didn't have serial numbers either. If you own or have knowledge of an RCA Theremin, drop Jason a line and get on his list.
Janet Moe has advised TECI that the Pavek Museum's RCA Victor AR-1264 Theremin has been fully restored and is working beautifully. Janet's husband has made a speaker for it based on the ones in the pictures of Leon & Clara. They have also started a Theremin restoration fund at the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting to offset the costs of restoration and upkeep. Any contributions are appreciated and are tax deductible.
Pavek Museum of Broadcasting
3515-17 Raleigh Avenue
P.O. Box 16030
St. Louis Park, Minneapolis, MN USA 55416-0300
The Leonardo Music Journal published a special section devoted to Leon Theremin, guest edited by Bulat Galeyev, in the "Leonardo Music Journal — Volume 6 (1996)", in celebration of Leon's 100th anniversary.
Articles included:
Galeyev (Russia) — introduction to the section.
Nesturkh (Russia) — development of Termen's ideas in Russia (USSR).
Lydia Kavina (Russia) — my experience with the Theremin.
Henke (UK) — Termen in the UK.
Sauer (Germany) — List of pieces for Theremin, discography.
Linnik (Russia) — Review of "Termen — Russian Faust" by Galeyev.
Bulat Galeyev, Ph.D. in philosophy, professor and director of the Institute for Experimental Aesthetics "Prometei" in Kazan Russia, advised the institute planned holding a conference devoted to Leon Theremin, in Kazan during October 7-11 entitled Electronics — Music — Light.
Bob Moog's company Big Briar is now offering a Theremin kit which includes a copy of the Bob Moog produced video Lydia Kavina — The Complete Theremin Video as well as the Delos CD Clara Rockmore "The Art of the Theremin".
All Music Services is a record and CD special order & search service in San Francisco and has a number of CD's which might be of interest to TECI members. They have the Clara Rockmore — Art of the Theremin CD available and can get copies of a limited edition CD featuring three classic Theremin 10" LP's from the 50's entitled "Music out of the Moon, Music for Piece of Mind, & Les Baxter's early Perfume Set to Music", as well as a number of easy listening & exotica LP's.
From: Jason Blue Barile
Date: 1995/11/11
The newsgroup, alt.music.makers.theremin, has been created to serve as a forum for discussion for those interested in theremin, building them, playing them, hearing them, etc. Hope to see you there!
Orion Picture's Theremin movie page is back online at a new URL and has been updated somewhat. Click on The Theremin Movie and check it out.
Congratulations to Bob Sexton and Jason Barile who are written up in the December 1995 issue of Popular Electronics. Its great to see these Web Sites get some recognition. A special thanks to Dan Karagiannis for mentioning TECI in his column Net Watch. Be sure to pick up a copy and check it out.
Popular Electronics
500 Bi-County Blvd.
Farmingdale, NY, 11735
James Coleman, TECI #32, performed with his Big Briar 91A at the Boston Film Festival's premiere of Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey. He was invited back for the post festival run, where he performed with his digital rig, including a Lexicon Jam Man & an Ensoniq DP4 after the film's presentation on Sept. 28th & 29th, 1995.
Mark Sinker, TECI #84, has written a brief history of Theremins and similar early 20th century electronic instruments which can be found in the UK music magazine The Wire, Adventures in Modern Music, (#139, September 1995). Mark is the author of numerous other articles on non-mainstream music. He also has a book coming out this year entitled The Electric Storm, a critical history of music and technology, from Edison to techno.
The Wire
45-46 Poland Street
London UK, W1V 3DF
The latest Theremin development: The Video Theremin, Theremin meets the Amiga. Check it out!
PAiA Electronics advises their Theremax Kit is now available and they are accepting orders for delivery.
PAiA Electronics Inc.
3200 Teakwood Ln.
Edmond, OK 73013
Jonathan Spanier's UK Theremin Constructors Page has information on the Everyday with Practical Electronics Theremin project plus others (duplicated in a different format) and works on HTML+ compatible viewers. It seems the UK is becoming a HOTBED of Thereminism these days. Keep up the good work Jon.