With COVID-19 continuing to spread, it’s made life difficult for some school-related activities.

Greene County’s jazz choir group Jazzatonics have seen a reduced performance schedule because the pandemic cancelled several concerts, competitions and festivals. The final competition of the year is the Iowa Vocal Jazz Championships, which annually requires a video submission to be considered. High school senior Avery Bardole doesn’t see the missed opportunities to perform as a downfall in preparing for IVJC.

“The lack of going everywhere is kind of opened up more that we can practice on our own. So where we’re not going somewhere every weekend to perform, we’re sitting down and working on maybe an hour for one song, getting that so we have it good. I think it’s going just as well as we would’ve with going everywhere else and having judges critique us.”

Senior Andrea Grundon talks about having to wear a mask and the challenges that presents when performing.

“For me personally, I think the masks don’t hinder me that much. Some people might find them a little more annoying. It may be harder to take in deeper breaths, but it still allows you to sing well.”

Last year the group was accepted to perform at IVJC, but due to the pandemic, the contest was cancelled. They are hoping to not only be accepted this year, but bring home a top place finish.