Clara Rockmore was a Lithuanian-American virtuoso of the theremin who was born in 1911. She began a musical career as a violin prodigy, becoming the youngest student at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory under Leopold Auer. Following her relocation to the United States, physical complications ended her professional violin career. Rockmore achieved professional prominence after mastering the theremin, an electronic instrument developed by Léon Theremin. She is famous for developing unique fingering techniques and for her influence on the instrument's development, including increasing its range from three octaves to five. Her first commercial studio album, The Art of the Theremin, was released (1977). Her discography includes the posthumous releases Clara Rockmore's Lost Theremin Album (2006) and Music and Memories: Clara Rockmore (2020). She died in 1998.
