I began playing the theremin fourteen years ago.
Before I "discovered" it, I
had no idea that theremins actually existed in abundance. I can't
remember a time when I didn't know what a
theremin was, probably because when I was growing up I may have seen
thereminists Samuel Hoffman and Willa
Mary on shows like "You Asked for It." One day I found a tiny
ad in a catlog that promoted a
theremin kit. I bought it and then faced the challenge of being someone
who'd never tackled an electronics
project before. But I built it... and it worked! From that time on, the
intial enthusiasm and passion for the
instrument has stayed with me, undiminished.
The theremin is
still a very young instrument. Less than
one hundred years old, it was (and remains) the creator of the
quintessential futuristic sound in countless
Sci-Fi movies. It occupies a legendary place in the history of rock
music. It's safe to say that there are now
more theremin players in the world than ever before.
By the
way, the drawings you see to the left are
two of my favorites, sent to me as a "thank you" from some
children who attended one of my school
programs.
