By Sara Ballenger

Los Altos High School senior Ashley DuVal will be tooting her own horn - her trumpet, actually - as a member of the San Francisco Jazz All-Star High School Ensemble. The ensemble will be competing in the Seventh Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival, May 11-13, at Lincoln Center in New York City.

The SFJAZZ All-Star High School Ensemble was chosen as one of 15 finalists for the competition from 149 high school jazz bands across the United States and Canada. Bands will compete for a cash prize to go toward enhancing their jazz programs, and special awards will be presented to outstanding soloists and sections.

The ensemble, which was formed last year, comprises 18 high school musicians from all over the Bay Area. The team will be judged on its live performance of three pieces by Duke Ellington, an influential American jazz composer, pianist and bandleader.

DuVal, who auditioned for the band in January, has been performing with the group at SFJAZZ functions throughout the Bay Area but can’t wait for the Ellington competition.

“As a musician, I think that having a shot at an opportunity like this really brought genuine motivation to the ensemble,” DuVal said. “Sometimes it’s hard to find drive in high school students when there is not a clear incentive involved, but this brought the group together in terms of motivation, dedication and commitment.”

As part of the selection process for the competition, the SFJAZZ ensemble had to submit a recording of three Ellington pieces, which DuVal sees as adding to her growth as a musician.

“While preparing for the recording session, we really went beyond the sheet music,” she said. “We were lectured on the history of music, given insight into the personal and professional lives of the musicians and analyzed the recordings inside and out. I find myself listening to the others more while I play, and communicating with the group through my own part.”

If the ensemble’s hard work pays off, not only could the band win money for its program and other accolades, but it could be one of three bands to perform with one of DuVal’s idols, jazz musician Wynton Marsalis, May 13.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity and well deserved for all of the kids involved,” said Gay DuVal, Ashley’s mother. “They inspire each other.”

The friendships DuVal has made through SFJAZZ will stay with her as she attends University of California, Berkeley, next fall.

“It’s the nicest group of people who are great musicians,” DuVal said of the SFJAZZ ensemble.

Donations can be made to help fund the ensemble’s trip to New York, by sending checks to: SFJAZZ, 3 Embarcadero Center, Lobby Level, San Francisco, CA 94111.

For more information, logon to www.sfjazz.com.