Previous Page (Articles/News)LYDIA KAVINA
The great niece of Lev Termen (Leon
Theremin) is an interesting electronic composer, specialized in the
legendary instruments developed by the electronic pioneer.
Russian composer Lydia Kavina, born in Moscow in 1967, is the great
niece of Lev Theremin, besides having become one of the few
professional performers of the theremin in the world.
At age nine, Lydia Kavina begins to study the theremin, having her
renowned relative, professor Theremin himself, as her personal
instructor, and continues to study this instrument for five years.
After studying music theory at the Moscow Music Academy "October
Revolution", and already at age 14, she begins her career as a
performer of the thereminvox, and since then, this artist has given
over 400 concerts in Russia, Europe and the USA. As a composer, she
prefers to devote her musical creativity to her favourite instrument,
the thereminvox.
Kavina completes her musical education at the Tschaikovsky State Conservatory in Moscow, graduating "summa cum laude" in 1992.
Between 1991 and 1992, she is a staff lecturer at the Moscow Glinka
Museum (Central State Museum for Music Culture), a job she had already
had in 1986 and in 1987.
Among the works that Lydia Kavina has composed for the theremin,
mention must be made of the following: "The statue of a soldier" for
Theremin and piano (1984); "Romance" for voice, Theremin and piano
(1985); "Two Preludes for Thereminvox and piano" (1986); "Antique
Russia", Fantasy for Theremin, piano, viola, bassoon and chimes,
(1987); "Landscape", for four Theremins, (1989); "Suite", for Theremin
and piano, (1989); "Chacone", for Thereminvox and Synthesizer, (1990);
"Requiem", for Theremin and Synthesizer, (1990); "Swamp Music", for
Theremin and Digital Sampler, (1992); "In Whims of the Wind", for
Theremin, voice and piano, (1994); "The Monologue", for Theremin,
(1995).
She has worked on different albums, among them "Beyond the mirrors", by
Adrian Marcator, under the label Prudence; the original movie
soundtrack "Ed Wood", under the label Hollywood Records; "Music for
films", by various authors, of the label Opal Records; "The Radio
Science Orchestra - Memories of the Future" (1996); SERVIsound -
Meditatio in Variatione" (1995); and the CD-ROM "Theremin-Demonstration
with explanations", of the German magazine devoted to music and
computers "KEYS".
Also, Lydia Kavina has appeared in a number of videos and films, as for
instance te educational video by Big Briar, Inc. "Mastering the
Theremin", where the artist teaches the viewers how to use this
instrument, together with Robert Moog; and "Martin, Steven M. Theremin:
An Electronic Odyssey, USA 1993". Furthermore, her music has been
programmed on several radio stations, among them the BBC, the WNYC
(USA), the national German radio, etc.
Lydia has given several live performances in a variety of international
events, such as the "International Festival for Electronic Music" in
Bourges, France, (1994); The "Festival of Arts" of Bad Gleichenberg,
Austria (1994); the Charles Ives Festival, of the Barbican Centre in
London, UK., etc., as well as other festivals and installations
in Denmark, Russia, Brazil, and a great deal of other countries where
she has toured with her art.
Among her current projects she has planned on more live performances at an international level.
(By ARIADNA MARTIN)