CCHS band, choir earn high ratings at large group festival

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Students in a Charles City High School band and choirs had a positive day last Friday at the Iowa High School Music Association’s (IHSMA) State Large Group Festival in Decorah.

The Charles City Concert Band, directed by Jacob Gassman, earned a Division I rating for performances of  “Flourish for Wind Band” by Ralph Vaughan Williams, “Salvation is Created” by Tschesnokoff, and “Festive” by Vaclav Nelhybel.

The various Charles City choirs, directed by Derek Sturtevant, also received the highest possible ratings, as the CCHS Concert Choir, Bass Choir and Chamber Choir each earned Division I ratings, while the Comet Chorus received Division II.

“We have been preparing for Large Group Festival since the end of March, when solo and ensemble festival concluded,” said Sturtevant. “Our choirs made it a goal since the beginning of the year that we would achieve a Division I rating.”

Sturtevant said that in preparation, clinicians were brought in from area colleges, including Jayson Ryner from NIACC, Scott Blankenbaker from Riverland Community College and Lee Nelson from Wartburg.

“It was really an emotional moment for the concert choir when the rating was posted,” Sturtevant said.

The various groups performed for sanctioned judges at the festival, who then assigned the ratings based on multiple performance factors.