Biography
Lydia Kavina — musician (theremin) with roots in the USSR
Lydia Kavina is a Russian-British musician and the world's foremost theremin virtuoso. The grandniece of Leon Theremin — the instrument's inventor — she was taught by him personally in Moscow and has spent her career performing and teaching the instrument globally, appearing in major concert halls and film soundtracks.
Russian Connection
Tracing the roots — Moscow
Born in Moscow in 1967, Kavina studied with Leon Theremin himself from age nine — giving her a direct link to the Russian avant-garde tradition of the 1920s that produced the instrument. Her career, based in the UK, carries the theremin's strange, haunting sound from Soviet Russia into contemporary concert life.
Family Tree
Subject
Lydia Kavina🇬🇧 UK
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Self (Born there)
(Grandniece of Leon)
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Origin
Moscow🇷🇺 USSR
Historical context
Soviet Union (USSR) · 1922–1991
Moscow. At the time, this region was one of the fifteen republics of the Soviet Union.
Map: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)
Key Achievements
A career defined by ambition
01
World's foremost theremin virtuoso
02
Studied personally with Leon Theremin — the instrument's inventor
03
Performed at Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, and major world stages
04
Film soundtrack work including Ed Wood (1994) — Tim Burton film
05
Teaches theremin masterclasses globally
Sources