Armen Ra, theremin

ARMEN RA, Theremin, is an Armenian performance artist and Thereminist born in Iran.

Raised by a concert pianist mother and aunt a renowned opera singer and Ikebana master, it was no surprise that Armen flourished, not only as one of New York’s leading aesthetes, but also as a self-taught master of the theremin.

By combining both the visual and aural aspects of his craft, Armen Ra has developed an art form that is truly his own and is something quite amazing to behold. Fusing Armenian folk music with modern instrumentation, along with melodic lounge standard’s and classical arias. His unique and elegant recitals transport the listener to a time and place of beauty, emotional healing, and of course sacred glamour.

The U.N.,Lincoln Center,CBGB’s, Knitting Factory, Joe’s Pub, La Mama, etc… Featured on and appeared in: CNN, HBO, MTV, Vogue, Glamour, Amica, NY Times, NY Post, Village Voice, Rolling Stone, Time Out, etc. …and so on..

_____________ “Am I scaring you?” he asked the crowd, which had been lulled into such a trance they weren’t even cruising each other. It was spooky and fabulous . . . (from a review by Michael Musto) –

. . . . Ra’s incredible command of the theremin, the unusual electronic instrument on which the player creates sound by seemingly manipulating the air around the instrument.

Most familiar to mainstream listeners as the source of the “weird” sounds heard on the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” and in countless ’50s sci-fi films, the theremin has an expressive potential that is only now being fully explored by a small but dedicated band of visionary musicians.