Flute 360 | Episode 347: "Inside the Musical Instrument Museum — Dr. Eddie Hsu on Global Flutes & Cultural Storytelling"
In this Flute 360 episode, Dr. Heidi Kay Begay sits down with Dr. Eddie Hsu, Curator for Asia & Oceania at the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in Phoenix, Arizona.
Together, they explore MIM's new exhibition, "The Magical Flute: Beauty, Enchantment & Power," and talk about the global story of the flute — from 8,000-year-old bone flutes to modern instruments. Dr. Hsu shares how flutes carry cultural storytelling, spiritual meaning, ceremony, identity, and breath across continents.
You'll also hear live demonstrations of the Chinese bamboo flute (dizi), the Arabic ney, and the Indigenous Taiwanese nose flute. If you're curious about global flutes, ethnomusicology, and how museums preserve musical voice and tradition, this conversation is for you.
What You'll Learn:
- How the Musical Instrument Museum curates a global flute exhibition and tells the story of the flute across cultures and time.
- Why so many cultures see the flute as a spiritual or magical voice — not just an instrument.
- How breath, ritual, mourning, prayer, love, and identity are expressed through flutes around the world.
- What makes instruments like the dizi, ney, and traditional nose flute unique in sound and purpose.
- How visitors can experience "The Magical Flute: Beauty, Enchantment & Power" at MIM through sound, video, story, and live performance.
Guest Bio:
Dr. Eddie Chia-Hao Hsu is the Curator for Asia & Oceania at the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in Phoenix, Arizona. An ethnomusicologist and flutist from Taiwan, he holds a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. His work explores global flute traditions, Indigenous Taiwanese music, and cultural storytelling through sound, connecting instruments as living expressions of community and identity.
Resources:
- Musical Instrument Museum (MIM), Phoenix, Arizona
- Exhibit: "The Magical Flute: Beauty, Enchantment & Power"
- Opening weekend: November 7–9, 2025, including curator talks and featured performances
- Visitor info & tickets: mim.org
- Featured instruments discussed: Chinese bamboo flute (dizi), Arabic ney, Indigenous Taiwanese double-pipe nose flute
- Themes mentioned: ritual, ceremony, longing, storytelling, preservation, conservation
- MIM's FB Business Page – click here!
Grab Your Seats:
- Build your music career with support!
- Grow your music studio with Dr. Katherine Emeneth's Music Teacher's Playbook. The next cohort closes on November 15, 2025. Schedule your call with her using the link in today's show notes. CLICK HERE to schedule your call!
- Join the Flute 360 Accelerator for live community, accountability, and creative support. Our next live session meets Saturday, November 22, 2025 from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Central Time. We meet once a month, so don't wait to grab your seat. CLICK HERE to grab your 360 seat!!
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