The Mid-Prairie High School jazz band earned a Division 1 rating in class 3A of the south Iowa High School Music Association Jazz Band Festival last weekend in Muscatine.

Band Director David Kunz says his students performed well after enduring COVID-19 restrictions that have been in place throughout the school year, “The number one thing about the experience was that we got to go, that we got to actually perform live at the state jazz contest in front of an audience. It felt almost normal to do that. In a normal year we would perform at many jazz events and this is the only one other than home concerts. So, it was just really great to get to do it. They played really well, really proud of them, and I was just so happy that we were doing it and, yeah, we got to go.”

Kunz says Mid-Prairie musicians are accustomed to scoring Division 1 ratings at state, but this year felt more significant as they rehearsed for months with students spread out in the band room due to the pandemic. Kunz says the concert band is going through the same safety protocols while prepping for the IHSMA large group scheduled for May 7th. He hopes that competition will be conducted in person as well, but a host site has not yet been determined.

Also earning Division 1 ratings at state was the Lone Tree jazz band in class 1A and Louisa-Muscatine in class 2A.