For flutist Annie Davidson, it’s not just practice, but also persistence, that makes perfect.

Davidson, a Russell native who graduated in May 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in flute performance from Kansas University, won first place in the division-level Music Teachers National Assn. competition Jan. 16 in Boulder, Colo. She now proceeds to the final round of the MTNA Young Artist Competition, March 29 in Kansas City, Mo.

The MTNA competitions consist of three levels: state, division and national. Davidson won first place at the division level of MTNA’s Young Artist Competition, an event open to musicians ages 19 through 26.

Davidson has been participating in the MTNA competitions since junior high and high school, during which she frequently placed at the division level.

“I thought I would give it one more try this year in hopes that persistence counts for something,” she said, explaining that she participated in last year’s national Young Artist Competition but didn’t win the top prize.

While in school, Davidson studied with David Fedele, KU assistant professor of flute. After graduating, she returned to study privately with Fedele.

To qualify for nationals, Davidson played bits and pieces of a recital-length program, including selections by Bach, Francis Poulenc, Aaron Copland and Kazuo Fukushima — more than 40 minutes of music.

In the national competition, Davidson will share the spotlight with Amir Khosrowpour, an Irvine, Calif., senior in piano performance and music composition at KU who has been her accompanist for five years. He took first place in the piano division of the 2002 MTNA Collegiate Artists Performance Competition.

If Davidson wins at the national level, her name and affiliation with KU will be published in American Music Teacher Magazine, a national publication that goes out to all the music teacher associations around the country.