"Magic spells" for solo flute

Aleksey Igudesman: "Magic spells" for solo flute was written in 2016. It is a suite of ten individual "spells," each focusing on a specific musical character or extended technique. Titles include "The Power of the Wand", "Hocus Pocus", and "Abracadabra". Igudesman, famous for his comedic duo "Igudesman & Joo," intended these pieces to be theatrical. Each "spell" comes with a poem written by the composer to be recited before or during the performance to enhance the magical atmosphere.
The piece is dedicated to Jasmine Choi, one of the world's most celebrated flute virtuosos.
Although Igudesman is a violinist, 2016 was a year where he aggressively expanded his catalog for other instruments. He aimed to bring "fun and theater" back into solo wind literature, which he felt had become too "dry" or overly academic."Magic spells" falls into the category of the "performance art" style. This piece is about the performer's stage presence. He was influenced by his world tours with Hyung-ki Joo, where they blended high-level classical playing with sketch comedy.
During this year, he was collaborating with stars like Joshua Bell and Yuja Wang. Writing for Jasmine Choi was a natural extension of his desire to work with "rock star" classical musicians who could handle the technical demands while embracing the humor.