Arts & Entertainment
Freshman Flutist to Perform in National Competition This Weekend
CVHS musical sensation heads to Milwaukee to compete in Junior Woodwind category.
Name: Alison (Ali) Dettmer
Age: 14
School: Centreville High School
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Accomplishment: After winning Virginia State and U.S. Southern Division competitions, this young musician will perform at the 2011 Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) National Finals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this Saturday.
Key to Awesomeness: Centreville High School freshman Ali Dettmer began playing the flute in elementary school with the intent of following in her mother Cathy’s footsteps.
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Cathy Dettmer had been a talented flute player in high school. Her daughter Ali is now among the most accomplished young flutists in the United States.
In the Junior Woodwind category, for musicians aged 11-14, Ali won both the MTNA Virginia State Competition in November and the in January.
Dettmer will complete a 20-minute flute performance on Saturday in Milwaukee at the MTNA National Finals Competition, a component of the 2011 MTNA National Conference. She will play Regrets and Resolutions by Gary Shocker, Syrinx by Claude Debussy, and Concerto, Movement III by Jean Rivier.
Ali is optimistic about her upcoming performance. “I just want to enjoy the full musical experience whether I win or lose,” she said, “I want to see the seminars that are available, soak it all in, and watch other musicians perform.”
Last spring Dettmer also won first place in the Fairfax County Band Directors Association (FCBDA) Competition and in the Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association (NVMTA) Competition at the middle school level.
She says her musical success has given her a great boost of confidence. Even as a freshman, she is a leader among her peers; at CVHS Dettmer plays first chair in both the wind ensemble and the symphony orchestra.
Outside of school Ali trains with music teacher Jennifer Lapple and is a member of , a prestigious wind ensemble composed of top high school musicians in the Northern Virginia and Washington, DC region.
“Music is a passion for her,” Cathy Dettmer said of her daughter, “She took to it right away and did very well from the beginning. I’m proud of how she’s evolved [as a musician].”
Ali is also a straight-A student who enjoys studying English. She feels the subject, like music, allows “freedom in your own opinions and interpretations.” Dettmer hopes to study musical performance, or another music-related major, in college.