Dr. Ariel Detwiler, owner of ACDC Reeds, is an active bassoon teacher, freelance performer, and reed maker based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Ariel holds three degrees in Bassoon Performance: a DMA from the University of Minnesota, an MM from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, and a BM from DePauw University. Her primary teachers have included Norbert Nielubowski, William Ludwig and Kara Stolle. Ariel performs regularly as a freelance musician in various bands, orchestras, musical pits, and collaborates in many chamber music groups. An in-demand soloist, Ariel has recently performed three times with local groups. Ariel won the DePauw University Concerto competition in 2010, and in 2018 she won the second annual Wind Ensemble Concerto competition at the University of Minnesota; she then went on to perform as a soloist with the Encore Wind Ensemble and the Minnetonka Symphony Orchestra. With a lifelong passion for music education, she maintains her own private studio of more than 20 students and holds the position of adjunct professor of bassoon at two universities in Minnesota: Augsburg University and Northwestern University of St. Paul. As a doctoral student, she taught the Woodwind Techniques course for three years at the University of Minnesota. Ariel makes and sells high-quality handmade reeds under the name ACDC Reeds, which can be found at Midwest Musical Imports, Cadenza Music, Chemical City Reeds, Reed Supplies Canada, or here on her own website. Ariel is also a talented arranger. She frequently writes arrangements of film and popular music for mixed bassoon ensembles, including her unique Horn and Bassoon duo, Duo 231. You can find her arrangements by searching for her name on www.sheetmusicdirect.com.
Ariel's teaching philosophy is centered around a positive music mindset and open awareness of oneself in order to become a master problem-solver. Her students are regularly chosen for honors ensembles and youth orchestras, with well-rounded technical abilities and a beautiful warm tone. Ariel's passion is spreading the knowledge of the bassoon with those who don't know much about the instrument, helping band directors recruit students, and creating access for students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to study the bassoon.
ACDC Reeds is a proud sponsor of many bassoon events and organizations, including the International Double Reed Society, Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition and Symposium, Bassoons Without Borders, the Double Reed Dish Podcast, Nashville Yuletide Bassoons, and the Tennessee Tech Bassoon Forum. ACDC Reeds has been a vendor at Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition and Symposium and MMEA Midwinter Clinic, supplying bassoon reeds and bassoon-themed gifts to all who need them.
Ariel performs on a Puchner 5000 antique finish bassoon with a Heckel C2XL bocal.
