The Divine Hand Ensemble, led by concert thereminist Mano Divina Giannone, defies classification. Mano Divina performs while being accompanied by a stunning string quartet, two harps, vibraphone, and accordion. He manipulates electricity with his hands to release angelic voices from his fingertips.
The Divine Hand are not your typical band; they can perform 16th century funerary music in a cemetery, open for Pope Francis’s address to the world in Philadelphia, and support the Lady in the Radiator from David Lynch’s Eraserhead all in the space of one week. The group is the only theremin-fronted band in the world, and is described as “hypnotic, breathtaking, and mesmerizing, an amalgamation of magic, science, and music.” They’ve put on shows for the past ten years worldwide for a variety of audiences as well as dignitaries like Pope Francis, the Dalai Lama, the UN President, the film directors M. Night Shyamalan and David Lynch, the DEA, and the Serbian Royal Family.
The group specializes in classical music, opera arias, and well-known songs, covering everything from Beethoven to Bowie. Their debut album, Aria 51, just came out. The new sound of classical music, which pushes the boundaries of the crossover genre, takes listeners on a sci-fi musical journey. The album includes cover songs by Bowie, Zappa, Queen, and the Specials as well as works by Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Edith Piaf, Rimsky-Korsakov, and others, as well as the ethereal, otherworldly sounds of the theremin as diva. Check out the album and the exclusive interview below:
1. Can you tell us a bit about where you all come from and how it all got started?
DIVINE HAND ENSEMBLE: I got a hold of a theremin after hearing French electronic composer and musician Jean-Michel Jarre play one. I taught myself how to play it and began performing solo in churches in Italy and France. Audiences were really moved by the beauty of the theremin and I imagined what it could sound like with a classical ensemble behind it. When I returned to my hometown of Philadelphia, I auditioned members for my ensemble and we had our first performance on Halloween 2009.
2. Did you guys have any formal training or are you self-taught?
DIVINE HAND ENSEMBLE: Everyone in my ensemble is a formally trained classical musician. Before DHE, I studied music with Sun Ra and Tito Puente and played nine instruments from percussion to bass to turntables. After I picked up the theremin, I decided to study with an operatic voice coach to better articulate my theremin’s expression.
3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘DIVINE HAND ENSEMBLE’?
DIVINE HAND ENSEMBLE: My earliest musical influences were Carlos Santana and Paul Desmond (Brubeck Quartet) because of their unique and soaring tone. I wanted to play an instrument that could touch people with its tone and vibration. Anna Netrebko is my favorite opera singer so mix them all together and my influences come forward into my sound.
As for the name , there are 2 reasons:
1 – It’s the English translation of my Italian name (Mano Divina) so it made sense to give that name to the ensemble.
2 – We choose music based on the composer’s ability to uplift and transport the audience, in essence, hand-delivering them a divine musical experience.
4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
DIVINE HAND ENSEMBLE: We strive to be beautiful, uplifting, atmospheric, cinematic, fun, and just a bit irreverent – all while presenting audiences with a unique spin on classical music, movie themes, rock interpretations, and popular favorites. We are committed to shattering the stereotype of stodgy classical music. That’s why we perform at unusual places beyond the traditional theaters. We are a classical group that operates like a rock band!
DIVINE HAND ENSEMBLE:
I was very influenced by opera singers and started playing my theremin to imitate the inflections and caresses of the divine mechanism of the human voice. Adding my musical influences and developing my own approach to tone, I hopefully transformed it into my own style. I’m still transforming it every day and I hope it never stops.
6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative and entertainment?
DIVINE HAND ENSEMBLE:
We believe that music, in all of its rich variety, is a reflection of the human spirit. We try to lean into the concept of music as a spiritual experience, as is reflected in our name. And because we aim to cross economic and social barriers to experiencing classical music, we also think music can be a way to bring folks of all kinds together. So I guess you could say that our mission is both social and spiritual. That said, we also want to create and share a unique experience with the people who have gathered to hear us and hopefully be moved and entertained by our shows. Music should be fun and we love breaking the “4th wall” to connect with our audiences. We’re having fun up there and it shows.
7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfilment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?
DIVINE HAND ENSEMBLE:
Absolutely worth the effort! I am always amazed at the feedback my weird instrument and lovely song choices bring us, no matter how diverse the audience. “Thanks, we didn’t write that, Danny Elfman did – but we are glad that you liked our version so much !” Sharing music with people is what drove me to be a musician in the 1st place so I find it incredibly rewarding on all levels.
8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?
DIVINE HAND ENSEMBLE: I used to ghost write pop songs for studios and singers and I always start with the words/main melody 1st . If you can’t make that great with a simple accompaniment, then all the bells and whistles of a studio won’t make it a great song or musical piece. Since we mainly do covers, when I choose songs for us to interpret, I have to hear our sound and my theremin performing it, conceptually, before we can orchestrate around it. Including myself, my ensemble has 4 arrangers, so depending on if it’s Zappa or Mozart, they know how to construct the piece to compliment both the theremin and the skills of the group.
9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
DIVINE HAND ENSEMBLE: Airport checks with my theremin, which apparently really REALLY looks like a bomb. That, and the fact that classical music bookers think we are too rock and roll and rock music bookers think we are too classical. “What? That spooky theremin with the string group playing opera and rock covers? That’s just too weird!” But luckily for us, our audiences find us and adore our beautiful music – they don’t need a rigid genre to explain or define it in order to be moved by it.
10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
DIVINE HAND ENSEMBLE: We performed for Pope Francis and David Lynch in the same week , wearing the same type clothes and playing the same songs – and not many people could say they to perform for audiences that diverse while maintaining their signature style and sound.
We are also really thrilled to finally release our debut album ARIA 51, a sci-fi musical journey, featuring songs from Bowie, Zappa, Queen, and The Specials as well as Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Edith Piaf, Rimsky-Korsakov and others. It’s been a long time coming.
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