Alison Sommer, ’01
By Jacob West, Development Coordinator
For GTCYS alum, cellist, and current parent Alison Sommer, music has always been an essential part of her life. With a mom who performed in musicals and a husband who plays bassoon and sings in choir, Alison even met her best friend (to this day!) from her GTCYS carpool.
After high school, Alison pursued her love of language and culture, earning a degree in Asian Studies from Carleton College followed more recently by an MFA in Creative Writing from Augsburg. As a writer who also plays and coaches hockey, Alison combined her passions in her three-book series, Teammates.
When she’s not writing or on the ice, she loves attending sci-fi conventions and is a huge Star Wars fan!
“I loved playing ensemble music in an orchestra with people who also cared and practiced,” Alison says. “I loved that feeling of everything coming together onstage.”
For her, GTCYS was “a warm, happy place. A community of like-minded people. I felt like I was with my people when I was with GTCYS.”
As Alison’s daughter follows in her footsteps with GTCYS, she treasures seeing her grow through music—learning motivation, teamwork, and the excitement of pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone.
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