_Dorit Chrysler]

Dorit Chrysler has been dubbed a superior wizard of the theremin. An Austrian-born, New York/Berlin based composer, singer and sound artist, Chrysler is the co-founder of the New York Theremin Society and founder of “Dame Electric” a festival dedicated to female Pioneers in Electronic Music. As much as the theremin is a tool in Chrysler’s electronic instrument arsenal, she’s also one the most visible thereminists spreading the gospel of this mysterious sounding instrument, which is basically played by massaging thin air.

Invented 1920 by Russian electro physicist Lev Sergejewitch Termen, the Theremin generates sound without being touched. Notoriously hard to play, it is one of the first electronic instruments that inspired the creation of synthesizers in future generations. Her music has been described by Ann Magnuson in Paper Magazin: “Imagine if Marianne Faithfull and Nikola Tesla had a love child, with Jane Birkin as the nanny and Bjork as the wayward Girl Scout Leader!”

Arte TV calls Dorit “Theremin Goddess”. Wall Street Journal “A Futuristic Lotte Lenya”. Vice ”The instrument, though not the centerpiece of Chrysler’s recordings, only adds to her music’s darkly hypnotic atmosphere”. As a composer of numerous film soundtracks that apply the theremin, she is the recipient of the “Best Film Music 2025” prize Diagonale Film festival and the Austrian State Composition Stipend. She has performed worldwide (Roskilde, Coachella, Concert House Vienna, NY Metropolitan Museum, Palais Tokyo Paris, Aichi Worldfair etc.) and collaborated with Trentemoeller, Adult., Alva Noto, Cluster, Lene Lovich and many more. Laurie Spiegel has written a work for Theremin dedicated to Dorit. Sound commissions include the MoMA (“Calder Plays Theremin”), Klang Festival, Siemens Foundation and Venice Biennale, residencies include the EMS Studio Stockholm, Gaite Lyrique Paris, Pioneerworks and the Detroit Knightsbridge foundation. As a theremin soloist with the San Francisco Symphony, Dorit has performed on several occasions.

She has been teaching her curriculum about Theremin Playing strategies for over two decades. Her music is part of collections at the Guggenheim Museum, Museet Stockholm and others. Dorit has written music for film (Happyland), TV (“Best German TV Krimi Episode 2025 “Tatort”) and Off broadway theater (The Bestiary). She was a participating artist at the 2023 Shanghai Biennale and has continuously collaborated with CERN as part of their Science Outreach. She has produced a ten piece Theremin orchestra performance for the LA DisneyHall. Numerous recordings of her music have been released via Fridman Gallery, The NYThereminSociety, InMyRoomRecords (DE), The Prurience Factory (US), Monika Enterprise (DE), PlagDichNicht (AU), PlasticTray Records (US), and Mute (GB).

Dorit is the current creative director of the NYThereminSociety, a non profit platform to support Theremin applications in various art disciplines. The NYTS celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025.

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