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Clara at 100

By omhoge - 3/9/2011 - History
Photo of Clara Rockmore copyright Steve J Sherman all rights reserved no reuse
Photo: Clara at home, July 31, 1996 © Steve J. Sherman. All rights reserved.

Today, March 9, 2011, is Clara Rockmore's 100th birthday. Where to begin in honoring your biggest musical hero? The reason I and many of us are playing the theremin seriously? The greatest of players who's still inspiring new generations of thereminsts? An artist whose life cannot possibly be distilled down to one blog post? Remembering Clara's fearlessness, I braced myself, and I asked...

Steve J. Sherman, great nephew of Clara Rockmore, responded with tremendous generosity and more than a little effort. Steve has written a very special article just for ThereminWorld (and lent us his unpublished photograph). Woven into this wonderful remembrance is also some important news I have been waiting to hear for several years and I am overjoyed we're posting it for the first time, here on ThereminWorld, on the centenary of Clara Rockmore. ThereminWorld is honored to present:
Clara at 100 - by Steve J. Sherman - March 9, 2011.

Thank you Clara Rockmore,
Happy Birthday!

Showing 7 Comments

sergeyteterin
sergeyteterin 3/9/2011 10:02 AM
Thanks a lot! Happy Birthday to Clara!

best greetings from Russia
kkissinger
kkissinger 3/9/2011 12:31 PM
Steve Sherman's article is fascinating and inspiring, too. He really captures what it was like to be have Clara Rockmore as an aunt and his description of her impromptu living room concerts is touching.

The notion that Clara would be pleased with the modern-day interest in the theremin is refreshing.
Jeff S
Jeff S 3/9/2011 6:11 PM
"After all, didn't everyone's aunt have a theremin in her home?"
"I mean, wasn't this every kids experience visiting with one's grandma and great-aunts?"

Uhhh....nope.

"Happy 100th birthday Clara. We love you and miss you madly, but you have left this world a far better and more interesting place than you found it, and as long as music can be made from thin air, you will always be here with us."

Amen

Steven - Thanks for sharing this day, and these thoughts, with us.
Amethyste
Amethyste 3/10/2011 4:03 PM
She looks so beautiful on this picture... She radiates happiness and a sense of pride pierces through. Clara - You are such a big inspiration. Thank you for being you.

Amey
AlKhwarizmi
AlKhwarizmi 3/10/2011 7:23 PM
Even for those of us who have only been able to meet Clara Rockmore through videos, photos, recordings and interviews, it's impossible not to love and admire her.

Thank you, Steve J. Sherman, David McGill, and everyone else who is contributing or has contributed to keep her memory alive and her legacy accessible to all.
omhoge
omhoge 3/13/2011 8:48 AM
This weekend while Kip and I were teaching the workshop in NJ, a fellow asked me: Who was that woman who was a violinist with arm trouble, and took up the theremin and became a super player? Clara's story, her music, and our crazy instrument are slowly entering into people's awareness.

Remember the legacy, keep spreading the word, and most of all
KEEP ON PLAYING!
Reid Welch
Reid Welch 12/26/2011 12:10 AM
I got you back into her life, into her apartment, didn't I, Steven? Got a gift tape to share again? I sure do.

Reid, Clara's true friend.

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