Included with paid museum admission; free for members
Tickets for The Magical Flute: Beauty, Enchantment, and Power are $7 for ages 20 and up, $4 for ages 4–19, and free for ages 3 and under.
Celebrate the resounding influence of the flute with performances, presentations, and more!
Supported by the Arizona Flute Society
Programming supported in part by the City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture and Arizona Commission on the Arts
Friday Saturday Sunday
Each day’s schedule is different—click to see exciting activities on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!
Craft: Pan Flute 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Event Room 3 Design and decorate your very own pan flute craft with colorful details, embellishments, and personal touches to make it unique.
Photo Booth 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. El Río Have your picture taken in our hands-free photo booth! Digitally share your pictures and tag us with #MIMphx for a chance to be featured on our social media.
Curator Talk: Global Fife and Drum 9:30–10:00 a.m. Event Room 2 Join curator of education Mike Silvers to learn about the spread of fife-and-drum music in many parts of the world, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Brazil, Jamaica, and Mississippi.
Flute Family Demonstration: Desert Echoes Flute Project 11:00–11:30 a.m. Event Room 2 See members of the internationally acclaimed flute choir Desert Echoes Flute Project, Arizona’s premier flute ensemble organization, as they demonstrate the sounds of an array of flutes, from the tiny piccolo to the gigantic double contrabass flute.
Flute Choir Performance: Desert Echoes Flute Project 12:45–1:15 p.m. North El Río Experience the captivating sounds and melodies of the Desert Echoes Flute Project in a performance that features works written for the ensemble, including a Southwest premiere.
Curator Talk: Collecting Historical Flutes 1:30–2:00 p.m., 3:00–3:30 p.m. Event Room 2 Join curator for Europe Matthew Zeller and historical flute collector Mark Leone for a conversation about collecting, maintaining, and playing some of the world’s finest and rarest flutes.
Flute Performance: Jarrett May 2:15–2:45 p.m. North El Río Join Jarrett May of the Phoenix Symphony for a program that explores the flute’s expressive power across centuries and continents, featuring works by Bach, Debussy, Telemann, and Ferroud.
Craft: Pan Flute 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. South El Río Design and decorate your very own pan flute craft with colorful details, embellishments, and personal touches to make it unique.
Chinese Dizi and Xiao Flutes Performance: Eddie Chia-Hao Hsu 10:00–10:30 a.m. North El Río Hear curator for Asia and Oceania Eddie Chia-Hao Hsu perform on the dizi and xiao flutes.
Native American Flute Performance: Aaron White 11:30 a.m.–noon North El Río Enjoy Native American flute music by Grammy nominee Aaron White, a musician of Diné and Ute heritage. Made possible through the generosity of Canyon Records
Recorder Pop-Up Performance: Sierra Norris 12:30–12:45 p.m. Central El Río Enjoy a recorder performance by Tucson musician Sierra Norris highlighting repertoire from the medieval, Renaissance, and baroque periods.
Curator Talk: The Flute in North America—History, Culture, and Change 1:30–2:00 p.m., 3:00–3:30 p.m. Event Room 2 Join curator for United States / Canada Rich Walter for a discussion on how flutes help illustrate an evolving population over time, highlighting special instruments and their designs, makers, and players.
The Magic Flute Arias Performance: Arizona Opera 2:15–2:45 p.m. North El Río Enjoy selections from Mozart’s beloved opera The Magic Flute, including famous works for the characters Pamina and Papageno.
Irish Rock Performance: Kilted Spirit 3:30–4:00 p.m. North El Río Hear Kilted Spirit showcase the lively charm of the Irish tin whistle in their Irish rock songs!
Curator Talk: From Breath to Sound 9:30–10:00 a.m. Event Room 2 Join curator for Asia and Oceania Eddie Chia-Hao Hsu for an exploration of flutes from a diversity of Asian and Oceanic cultures. As Hsu demonstrates several of these instruments, experience how these flutes transform breath into music.
Andean Flute Performance: Miguel Molina 10:00–10:30 a.m. North El Río Enjoy a performance by Peruvian musician Miguel Molina showcasing the diverse sounds of Andean flutes.
Curator Talk: Pre-Columbian Flutes, Panpipes, and Ocarinas 1:30–2:00 p.m., 3:00–3:30 p.m. Event Room 2 Hear about some of The Magical Flute: Beauty, Enchantment, and Power’s spectacular archaeological objects from curator for Latin America Daniel Piper and explore the sounds, symbolism, and transcendent qualities of pre-Columbian flutes, panpipes, and ocarinas that still inspire people today.
Middle Eastern Music Performance: Layali Al-Sham Ensemble 3:30–4:00 p.m. North El Río Watch Arizona State University’s Middle East music ensemble Layali Al-Sham highlight the ancient nay alongside the Western symphonic flute in melodies from the Middle East.
Lunch at Café Allegro Offered daily 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Enjoy a menu of delicious global cuisine with fresh entrées, salads, soups, and grill items showcasing local produce and flavors from around the world.
Shop the Museum Store
In celebration of the opening of The Magical Flute, the Museum Store features a selection of merchandise related to the special exhibition, including the new exhibition catalog.
During opening weekend (November 7–9), members save an extra 10% off most purchases in the store and online. Use the code Celebrate2025 at checkout. Every purchase benefits MIM and its programs.
Header image: Gold flute (formerly owned by Sir James Galway) Tokorozawa, Japan, 2001 MIM Collection, Gift of the Robert J. Ulrich and Diane Sillik Fund
Friday, November 7, 20259:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 8, 20259:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 9, 20259:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
