The Greene County High School Music Department received high marks at the Iowa High School Music Association Large Group Contest on Friday.

Band Director Becky Greiner says both the concert band and choir each earned a Division I-rating.  Groups compete, not against other schools, but against a rating system where a I-rating signifies a superior performance.

Choir Director David Heupel says he’s pleased with how the students performed.

“I thought it went really well.  They’ve been working at it pretty hard.  They had the (awards) concert last Tuesday and that went well and then they performed even better, I thought, Friday night and they got a I-(rating) from all three judges.  Where we go (to) Harlan, there’s a lot of good schools there.”

Last year the choir received a II-rating which Heupel believes gave the students determination to do better this year.

“I’ve been here for 16 years and maybe two and three times we’ve haven’t (received a I-rating).  But the kids know, if we end up with a II-(rating) one year then they know they’re really in for it the next year and be pretty driven.  So, they know the expectation.”

For Greiner, this was her last large group contest of the year as she will be retiring at the end of the school year.