Between now and the Spellbound Christmas Special on December 20, send an e-mail to Spellbound for a chance to win a free CD. Send an e-mail to spellboundchristmasgift @ purplenote.com containing your name, address, and e-mail address, for your chance to win.

Best of luck!
Happly Holidays!!
Joyous Thereminizing!!!
and
KEEP ON PLAYING!!!!

The Node Festival, the first Swiss theremin festival, will be happening Saturday Dec. 12 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Performers include Pamelia Kurstin, Jimmy Virani with Aaron Robertson.

Plus the technical lectures will feature TW member Thierry Frenkel!

There is also information and theremin resources at etheremin.com the Swiss theremin web resource for the French speaking community.

photo: MoPhO

After seeing creative solo uses of the cell phone in electronic music making by Bora Yoon who shared Armen's NYC concert, TW's own DiggyDog, and thousands of private folks who've downloaded various iPhone music applictaions, it was only a matter of time before some formal ensembles should form around the mobile phone witting their own software for it.

The Stanford Mobile Phone Orchestra (MoPhO) had a concert last week which got a write up in the New York Times. "Then the musicians began to swing their arms in wide circles, creating rising and falling waves of electronic sound…" - New York Times review of Dec. 3 concert with video.

The Michigan Mobile Phone Ensemble, at the University of Michigan, has a concert tomorrow night. They are performing original works on existing and original software using every feature of the iPhone from the mic and touch screen to internals like GPS, wireless sensor, and accelerometer.

1st Annual Eyedrum Ear Ball
Atlanta GA

On November 14th, Eyedrum, Atlanta's premiere alternative art venue, will host an all-day extravaganza on two stages, and at site specific locations throughout its building. The Eyedrum Ear Ball is "a celebration of the diversity of music and sound art that Eyedrum has presented to Atlanta audiences over the years,"

Scott Burland of Duet for Theremin and Lap Steel, will be transforming the hallway of the Eyedrum building into the Theremin Gantlet - featuring a number of Atlanta area Theremin players and ambient electronic artists including The Subliminator, Klimchak, Neil Fried, and Monomania.

November 14, 2009
12:00PM - 2:00AM
Price: 5-20. Pay what you can
Eyedrum
290 MLK Jr. Dr. SE,
Suite 8, Atlanta, GA 30312

photo: PBS

Santa Fe New Mexican Local news in briefs, November 11, 2009

PBS 'History Detectives' plans visit

Investigators with the PBS television series History Detectives are looking into a Santa Fe man's suspicion that he owns one of the first electronic instruments known as theremins.

The show's host, Elyse Luray, and her crew plan to visit Santa Fe on Nov. 23 to share results of their probe into whether the man has one of fewer than six original theremins built by Leon Theremin, a news release said.

The only instrument played without touching, the theremin "makes eerie, ethereal music, the kind that creates uncertainty and suspense in movie sound tracks," the statement said.

The Santa Fe man bought his theremin through e-Bay, according to the release.

Robert Moog, creator of the electric synthesizer, was quoted as having called the theremin "a vital cornerstone of our contemporary music technology." -------------------------------------------------

This sure 'creates uncertainty and suspense' for us. If it's true and he's not a TW member yet, hope he joins and tells us about it!

Lev Termem, also known as Leon Theremin, died in Russia on November 3rd, 1993. His invention of the theremin has been key to all of us. It's survival through the years into our times was dependent on the inspiration and hard work of other great individuals like Bob Moog and Clara Rockmore whose lives were touched by Lev and his work. Like ripples in a pond, it is up to us to continue and expand on what Lev started back in 1917 when our wonderful instrument was born.

In his forward to THEREMIN: ETHER MUSIC AND ESPIONAGE by Albert Glinsky, Bob Moog wrote:
""Around this time, the documentary filmmaker Steven Martin contacted me. He told me that he planned to produce a feature-length documentary film on Theremin's life and work, and he asked for my assistance. He wanted to film Clara Rockmore as she played her theremin in public, but her instrument was not working at the time, and in fact had not been working for several years. Martin asked me to come to Ms.. Rockmore's apartment to help restore her instrument. The opportunity to work on an instrument that Leon Theremin himself had built was too attractive to resist, so I agreed to do it. I arrived at Mrs. Rockmore's apartment with my tool kit and test equipment on a Friday. Michael Jansen (Mrs. Rockmore's regular technician) and I completely dismantled her instrument. We found many components that were faulty and had to be replaced. By Sunday afternoon we had reassembled the instrument. Mrs. Rockmore then tried it by playing a few notes. "No" she said impatiently, "it doesn't play right". Michael and I reset some internal adjustments, and Mrs. Rockmore tried the instrument again. "No, it's still not right" she said. Once again, we reset the adjustments. Mrs. Rockmore tried a few notes, then proceeded with George Gershwin's "Summertime" from beginning to end. At the end, tears were in her eyes. She turned to us and said "I was afraid I would never be able to play that instrument again." At that moment I sensed a strong spiritual connection with Leon Theremin, a feeling that remains with me even now. I consider that that moment was the high point of my professional career.""

Thank you Lev, we remember and we'll carry it on!

Although the Moog EtherWave Pro Theremin was discontinued it has remained a favorite among serious thereminists. Recently TW member Thierry developed an awesome volume enhancement that expands the expressiveness of this fine instrument.

The story of Thierry's progress, reviews, purchase and installation information are in a series of "Thierry EW-Pro Mod" forum posts. Great work Thierry. Keep up the engenious soldering!

A very special Halloween Theremin Concert is happening in Oulu, Finland with Lydia Kavina and the Oulu Symphony Orchestra featuring Howard Shore's Ed Wood Suite, the Rosza Spellbound Concerto and the famous (in our circles at least) Fuleihan Theremin Concerto. And you can listen live!

Thank you Lydia for posting the news in the TW Forum!

30 October 2009
Oulu, Finland
Madetoja Concert Hall
Info on Lydia's site, and at the Oulu Symphony