Here’s something fun I saw highlighted at the Califaudio blog - the Theremug, a DIY project that turns your cup of coffee or tea into a theremin, of sorts.
Here’s Kyle McDonald’s explanation of the Theremug:
1 Prepare some tea
2 Expose the L/R leads on an 1/8″ cable
3 Immerse leads in tea
4 Plug cable into audio input
5 [...]

Omer Yosha’s AirPiano is a new musical interface which lets you play and control software instruments by moving hands in the air.
Above the AirPiano is a virtual matrix of keys and faders, each assigned with MIDI messages and ready to be triggered. The length of a triggered note is equivalent to the time a [...]

Timothy Renalto’s The Bad Hand is a sort of plasma theremin.
It doesn’t really improve on the idea of the theremin, but it does look pretty awesome.
via MusicThing

Clockwork Robot has introduced a solar powered theremin kit:
This is an electronics kit suitable for beginners but it DOES require some soldering.
With very few parts you can build a tiny solar powered theremin enclosed in an ALTOIDS mint tin. So when the oil runs out, the ice caps melt and civilization crumbles to dust, thanks [...]

Excerpts from the amazing Dorit Chrysler’s performance at the 2008 EtherMusic Festival in Asheville, NC.

Next time you’re at a gig, and you realize that you’ve forgotten your theremin, remember this MacGiver theremin, made using three AM radios.
Amazingly enough, it actually sounds pretty good!
via Synthzoom

AtomoSynth has introduced the Abyssal, an analog photo-noise-machine & oscillating-filter:
This synth features one square and saw waveform VCO (voltage controlled oscillator) with a huge pitch range, from subsonic to ultrasonic sound controlled by a big photocell (pitch control) allowing to play it like a photo Theremin.
One square and triangle waveform LFO (low frequency oscillator), that [...]

Theremins are starting to show up everywhere.
Popular Science has a fun DIY project that promises to let you make a theremin that operates on changes in light:
Note: Unlike a conventional Theremin which operates on two radio frequency oscillators, this Pocket Theremin consists of an oscillator and frequency divider that are manipulated by changes in light. [...]

As a celebration of the vibrant Theremin community, Moog Music will again sponsor an International Theremin Festival – EtherMusic Festival 2008. This event will feature workshops and concerts, factory tours and much, much more.
An exciting component of the weekend will be an original composition contest, with the winner performing their composition for theremin at one [...]

Amazingly enough, this cat plays theremin about as well as most people.

Tuttle Soundlabs has a great collection of quirky theremins at their site, including a theremin cigar box and even an curiously strong Altoids theremin!
via Handmadenoize

Image: _annì_ (Anna Troisi)
This beautiful photo caught my eye - but I was especially intrigued by the electronic instrument. The photo is labeled thereannina29, and it looks like a variation on the theremin.
If you have any information on either the instrument or the performer, let me know in the comments!

The awesome Pamelia Kurstin performing at TED!
SHe discusses the theremin and performs Autumn Leaves, Billy Strayhorn’s Lush Life and a composition by David Mash, Listen: the Words Are Gone. Piano: Makoto Ozone
Born in Los Angeles, Kurstin currently resides in Vienna, and performs with acclaimed eccentric rockers Barbez, among many others. Her latest solo CD, Thinking [...]

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Image: Synthesizers
At the Winter NAMM show, a theremin fan (and a really nice guy) shows off the t-shirt his friend had made for him.

We thought that the theremin dildo phone was weird, but this dismembered baby doll head theremin may have it beat.
The Theremin includes:

8 ohm Speaker(very small, low volume)
Red On/Off Switch ( RED LED LITE operated EYES by the on and off switch)
Silver Pitch Volume Knob
Large Photo-Cell (NEW and IMPROVED, WIDER RANGE from low to high PITCH)
1/4″ [...]