Two world-class musicians played several rare, historical musical instruments Tuesday night at the Carolina Music Museum in a concert called “Armonica Returns!”
Those instruments ranged from pianos dating back to the 1800s to the glass armonica, which was invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1761 after seeing a man play music with wine glasses.
“He came up with nesting them all together and that mechanized instrument became what’s now called the first American musical instrument,” James explains.
James, who plays over 300 instruments and is a master of 8, also plays the “theramin,” which dates back to the 1920s and transforms electric waves into sound. It is considered the only instrument you can play without touching.
For more information about the Carolina Music Museum, click here.
