The jazz choir ensemble at Greene County High School is looking to make another run at being one of the best in the state.

Ram Jive placed third in Class 3A at last year’s Iowa Vocal Jazz Championships and Director David Heupel thinks this year’s group has a good mixture of freshmen and upperclassmen. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio following a clinic that they attended at West Des Moines Valley earlier this month, on Monday they are one of the sites for the Iowa High School Music Association State Vocal Jazz Festival. 

Heupel explains that the state festival is when jazz choirs compete against a rating system and not against other schools. He points out that 13 of 14 years since transitioning to being a jazz choir from a swing choir, Greene County has received a Division I-rating, with 2021 being the only year with a Division II-rating.

“The window for a I-rating is pretty small. It opens up as you get to a II and a III-rating, the point spread is a little wider. But it’s pretty small to be on the top. So it’s tough to do.”

Heupel encourages the public to come up and see Ram Jive perform at 5:45pm in the high school auditorium. He describes what the audience will experience.

“Each group has a half an hour on stage. So they can do their set and the rest of the time, the judges come and do a clinic with them right there on stage. Which, to me, that’s the meat and potatoes to do that right there, and the audience is welcomed to sit and listen to that as well.” 

The other schools participating include Saydel, Winterset, Nevada and Newton. He adds that there is also a varsity home basketball game that same evening with Southeast Valley in the gym. Tickets for the jazz choir are $12 for adults, $7 for senior citizens and $5 for students.