The musician makes no physical contact, yet the notes can soar as lyrically as any violin - meet the theremin.
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Created a century ago and named after its Russian inventor, the electronic instrument features in this weekend's Albury Chamber Music Festival.
Dutch musician Thorwald Jorgensen is performing in two of the seven concerts, presenting Australian and world premieres of works written specifically for theremin.
"You need to have original theremin repertoire for the instrument to survive, so people have something to aim for," he said.
"If you don't have any repertoire, nobody will ever push themselves to get beyond what is possible now."
In simple terms, the music is created via hand movements made near the theremin's two metal antennas, one that controls pitch, the other volume.
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Jorgensen said the instrument proved ahead of its time and struggled to gain a wide audience in the days before social media.
"Because of YouTube, you can see, because of Facebook, you can get it out," he said.
"This visual aspect of playing in the air is very cool, but it's cool for one minute; if you then play off-key and ugly, people run."
Originally a percussionist, Jorgensen achieved his dream of playing in symphony orchestras "but once I was there, I was bored to death".
"It was just not me. I had a soloist's heart, I wanted to go in front of the orchestra," he said.
Recordings of 1930s thereminist Clara Rockmore inspired him to learn more about the instrument.
"I really fell in love with it and I felt that it loved me back, so there was an instant connection between us," he said.
"I always say the percussion was a marriage of convenience but the theremin is a marriage of love."
Sunday's festival concert will bring the world premiere of a new work for theremin and string quartet by young Australian composer Jessop Maticevski Shumack.
Jorgensen said he requested something different to the beautiful, ethereal pieces common to the theremin.
"I want something masculine and aggressive and totally crazy, and he served it up," he said.
"It's so different to what's already out there, on that note the mission already is accomplished.
"How it turns out for the audience, we'll see."
- More details at alburychambermusicfestival.com.au
