Leonid Fiatovich Rezetdinov (born in 1961) is the graduate of the Petersburg Conservatoire, where he studied composition at professor Boris Tishchenko up to 1985. In 1990 the composer conferred at the ISCM course in Poland conducted by V. Lutoslavsky. From 1990 to 1998 Rezetdinov taught composition and instrumentation in the Rimsky-Korsakov Music College. Nowadays he serves as a director of the ''Production Centre'' at the St. Petersburg Documental Films Studio and the Managing Board member at the Russian Composers' Union Music Fund so as the ''Sound Ways'' association. Among the most significant compositions there are three symphonies (including the ''Planets Symphony'' and the ''Matrix''), three chamber symphonies (including the ''Little Instrumental Mass''), opera scenes ''Adventures of Gallant Soldier Schweik'', ''Hatred'' - one act ballet to the war-time verses by Olga Berggoltz, five cantatas for mixed choir and orchestral casts, ''Bolero Libero'' for full symphony orchestra, ope rette ''Circus Printinprum'', two string quartets, two wood-wind quintets, two brass-quintets, chamber-instrumental compositions for different casts, different opuses for choir. Leonid Rezetdinov works a lot in the sphere of children's music and practices in the cinema music (20 soundtracks for both feature and documentary films).
As there are not many pearls composed by modern authors for flute, the ''Dances of Salamanders - Spirits of the Flame'' by our contemporary Leonid Rezetdinov intended for solo performing shall no doubt become cream of crops both in concert and pedagogical practice. The composition consists of six various pieces, combined in one cycle with the vortical apex breaking through the final sixth movement.
The cyclical construction is chosen by the composer as the most suitable one for to depict mythological salamanders, those mysterious fiery spirits that are given birth by the lightning smithereens of the purest flame.