LRHS music teacher Thomas Durante is accomplished with the rare Theremin

Sienna Zwizinski – Mustangs Ahead

(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL) – LRHS orchestra teacher Thomas Durante plays a new tune with his Theremin.

A theremin is a unique instrument which the musician does not physically touch.

The instrument was originally invented in 1920 by Leon Theremin in order to detect gases using radio waves.

It was accidentally created when the then 23-year-old scientist put his hand near a gas meter which then made a high-pitched noise.

The modern-day version of the theremin is played by moving the hands and fingers around a vertical antenna to change the tone while the horizontal loop controls volume.

Durante owns two theremins. His first one is a basic model while the second one is a 747 model.

Durante said, “It was the first instrument I couldn’t immediately play.”

Durante is performing the song ‘Vocalize’ on the theremin along with his orchestra in May.

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The theremin creates an eerie high-pitched sound that is similar to soprano range notes.

Durante continued, “The challenge of creating notes out of thin air has been transformative.”

Durante is playing at the New Music concert at State College of Florida – Manatee/Sarasota (SCF) on Thursday, April 20.

Rex Willis will perform ‘Diabolical Dimensions’ which features a theremin, a soprano singer, and an electric guitar.