Dorit Chrysler & the New York Theremin Society

Part 1:The mysterious electronic instrument displays all its magical musical properties in this program of live performances recorded in concert at Pioneer Works in March 2014. This program features performances by HiV (pronounced High Five, with Charlie Hobbs, Angel Favorite, and Dominika Ksel), theremin virtuoso and ambassador Dorit Chrysler, master Rob Schwimmer, and The New York Theremin Orchestra.  

Plus, in Part 2, album tracks and an exclusive interview by Jeannie Hopper with the remarkable Dorit Chrysler, who engineered the Theremin Society residency at Pioneer Works that led to the concert.

The Theremin Orchestra of New York is comprised of participants from all levels from the NY Theremin Society workshop at Pioneer Works in March 2014. A most unique, psychedelic and compelling soundscape, like nothing you've ever heard before!

Imagine if Marianne Faithful and Nikola Tesla had a love child, with Jane Birkin as the nanny and Bjork as the wayward Girl Scout Leader! - Ann Magnuson, Paper Magazine.


Austrian born composer/musician Dorit Chrysler has composed the music for the Danish Pavilion at the most recent Venice Biennale.  She has performed at the MoMA, Lincoln Center, Coachella Festival, World Trade Center, Roskilde Festival, Vienna Konzerthaus, Moogfest & CBGB's. She is a featured Moog Music artist and her contemporary compositions have taken her around the world. Chrysler produced and curated the 10 piece Theremin Orchestra at the Disney Hall of Los Angeles.  Her solo work includes Theremin, Vocals, Laptop and Taurus.

Charlie Hobbs is an artist, musician, teacher and engineer living in Brooklyn, NY.  His haunting and often humorous sculptural work ranges from robotic ghosts to collapsing spring-loaded ladders and inflatable breathing Doritos Bags.  Hobbs plays theremin, electric bass and synthesizer in the electronic-psychedelic band, HiV (pronounced High Five).  He is the creator of the Hobbs Theremin - a contemporary professional-grade electronic musical instrument inspired by the distinct circuitry and unique sound of the original instruments from the 1920’s.

Rob Schwimmer was a theremin soloist with The Orchestra of St. Luke's at Caramoor playing the premiere of Bernard Herrmann's Scene d'Amour from Vertigo performed with theremin for the first time and played theremin and piano on Matthew Barney's epic Cremaster 3 movie. An original member of The NY Theremin Society as well as a founding member of Polygraph Lounge,  Rob has worked with Wayne Shorter, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Paul Simon, Bobby McFerrin, Willie Nelson, Chaka Khan, Laurie Anderson, Simon & Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder, Bette Midler, Adam Guettel, T-Bone Walker, Sam Rivers, Marc Shaiman, Trey Anastasio, The Klezmatics, Theo Bleckmann, Christian Marclay, and dozens more.

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