Solid State Theremin
MakerMade by
Mitch Caouette
American, 1956 - 2009
Date1972
Mediumwood, wires, copper
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (overall height x width x depth): 3 × 14 1/2 × 6 3/4in. (7.6 × 36.8 × 17.1cm)
ClassificationsEquipment
Credit LineGift of Leonard DeMaio in honor of the first electronic music class in Connecticut
DescriptionA solid state theremin built by Mitch Caouette in 1972, who was a student at Enfield High School in Leonard DeMaio’s Project PEP electronic music class. It has two knobs on the front that control pitch and volume. This knobs connect to a wiring system and battery inside the theremin.
Object number2023.69.2
InscribedHandwritten in red marker on inside wall: "BUILT BY / Mitch Caouette/ '1972'"Handwritten in red marker and black ink on inside top: "L. DeMaio / Personal Property / theremin"NotesHistorical Note: The theremin was invented in 1920 by Russian physicist Lev Termen (later known as Leon Theremin). Typically two antennas protrude from the theremin - one controlling pitch, and the other controlling volume. As a hand approaches the vertical antenna, the pitch gets higher. Approaching the horizontal antenna makes the volume softer. Because there is no physical contact with the instrument, playing the theremin in a precise melodic way requires practiced skill and keen attention to pitch. [Source: Jason. (2005, December 7). What’s a Theremin? Theremin World. http://www.thereminworld.com/Article/14232/what-s-a-theremin- ]
Subject Note: The Pilot Electronic Project in Music Education program (Project PEP) was the first electronic music course for students in the United States. In 1967, the Connecticut State Department of Education sponsored the program. The program’s director was Lloyd Schmidt and the advisory committee consisted of musicians and composers including Milton B. Babbitt, Vladimir Ussachevsky, and Frank Cookson. The program’s first year was implemented at six public and private high schools across the state, including Enfield High School under the supervision of Leonard DeMaio. The objective of the program was to teach students a new understanding and appreciation of contemporary music through the use of tape recorders, tape splicers, sound-mixing devices, and electronic recordings. The goal was to encourage students’ imagination, creativity, and experimentation with modern electronic music. By 1970, participation in the program increased to 18 schools across the state and in 1974, 79 schools in Connecticut reported involvement in electronic music.
On View
Not on view
about 1950 to 1991
