The Greene County High School Music Department is busy preparing and submitting entries for the Iowa High School Music Association State Solo/Small Ensemble contest.

Due to the pandemic, the contest is being held virtually this year with students submitting a recording of their performances. Band Director Wes Anderson tells Raccoon Valley Radio about 30 students are participating, with ten soloists and 3-4 large ensembles. He says COVID-19 has certainly caused some of these numbers to slip this year.

“I can’t blame them for not being quite as excited about a virtual solo (or) ensemble (performance) as opposed to the one where they get to go and meet a whole bunch of kids from different schools. It’s always funny to see how the lines between school districts really are not that meaningful because kids find kids like them at events like that.”

However, Anderson understands that COVID-19 precautions would not allow close interactions with students and keeping crowds of adults from gathering in hallways to listen to the performances would be impossible. 

Choir Director David Heupel says he has about ten solos and at least one ensemble wanting to compete. All submissions will be judged by April 17th and given a rating.