Theremin: In Conversation with Miles Brown

Of all electronic music instruments, the theremin still captures the imagination like no other.

Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio houses perhaps one of the last theremins built by Theremin himself in New York circa 1933-4. The origins of the instrument date back to the late 19th century and have a peculiar connection to the race to develop television. Early versions were almost adopted by Lenin as intruder detection systems for the Kremlin.

Few have become truly brilliant players of the instrument, which, despite Theremin’s dreams of an instrument anyone can play, is difficult to master. In Melbourne/Naarm we have Miles Brown – a legendary figure in this city – who studied with Russian theremin virtuoso Lydia Kavina, a direct relative of Theremin. In this conversation Miles discusses everything from science fiction sounds, horror scores to the history of the theremin and, of course, his own musical journey with the instrument.