Led by thereminist Mano Divina Giannone, the Divine Hand Ensemble defies categorization. Mano Divina bends electricity with his hands to release angelic voices from his fingertips while being backed by an exquisite string quartet, two harps, vibraphone, and accordion. Described as “hypnotic, breathtaking, and mesmerizing, an amalgamation of magic, science, and music”, the ensemble plays everything from Bowie to Beethoven, Mozart to Motörhead. For the past 10 years, they've performed for diverse audiences including Pope Francis, the Dali Lama, President of the UN, film directors M.Night Shyamalan and David Lynch, the DEA, and the Royal Family of Serbia.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hello Divine Hand Ensemble. What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
A lifetime of music study. I studied music with Sun Ra from 1987 to 1993 and Tito Puente from 1993 to 1998. Over the years, I’ve played in numerous bands, mastering nine instruments from percussion to bass to turntable. I offer my music to the audience, playing from the heart, not the ego.
Who inspired you to make music?
Miles Davis, Carlos Santana, my musical family.
Your latest release is 'Aria 51'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
The title comes from the wordplay between the science fiction, alien legend of 'Area 51' and the fact that we feature the theremin singing opera arias. We're tying together the theremin's science-fiction sound effect and classical music histories.
Can you shortly describe each of the tracks that are on the album?
Peaches en Regalia: We start with a bang; our take on Frank Zappa’s dizzying jazz-rock-fusion composition
Opera: A faithful version of a song by an Italian progressive rock band
Wild is the Wind: A theremin sings Bowie as if Bowie were a ghost
Man Who Sold the World: A bright, inventive cover that gently grooves and eerily sways
Who Wants to Live Forever: A sensitive and stirring rendition of a song from the movie Highlander
Phantom of the Opera: A theremin and a violin play the roles of Christine and the Phantom
La Vie en Rose: Our take on the Edith Piaf classic, replete with romantic accordion
Hushabye Mountain: Little-known song from Disney’s 1968 movie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Aria 51: The theremin sings opera and shows you quite a range
Ghost Town: A fan favorite: “Even ghosts know this slaps.”
How do you stay up-to-date with the latest musical trends?
I’m open to any and all styles of music, but I don’t try to stay on top of trends. I have a ton of friends who turn me on to new and new-to-me music. But to be honest, I’m usually the one turning people on to music.
What makes you different from others?
I don’t know of any classical ensemble that’s led by an electronic instrument you play without touching it, with a repertoire as diverse as ours. Plus, you'd be hard-pressed to find a classical ensemble that includes a squeezable honky-hog.
What’s an average day like for you?
I usually practice my theremin in the morning and do band business like fill orders and hunt for and book gigs. Then I listen to as much music as possible from my extensive collection of actual CDs. I know it’s “old fashioned,” but I love to hold a CD in my hand, and appreciate the physical experience of the packaging and content. I have over 4000 CDs in my collections and I never get tired of listening to favorites over and over again.
Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans.
We love our hand fans! When fans buy merch, we encourage them to snap a pic of themselves in the t-shirts which we share on our socials. My personal favorite thing is when a new fan comes up to me after a show and says, “I never heard of you or a theremin until my friend dragged me to a show and I’m blown away by your performance!” Seeing and hearing people’s reaction to our live performances thrills me every time. I love getting feedback from the audience!
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Pick an instrument that you can see where to play the notes! If I was just starting out, I wouldn’t start with a theremin.
What are your plans for the future?
Right now, we’re making music videos from a live show we recorded at Sellersville Theater. We’re also recording our next album, which will be our take on Astor Piazzolla’s tango classics.