The jazz bands from Mid-Prairie and Winfield-Mt. Union High Schools will be making the trip to Iowa State University Tuesday to compete in the Iowa Jazz Championships. Both schools made it to the championships by finishing second in their respective classes at the district competition. Mid-Prairie Jazz Director David Kunz gives a preview of the event, “It’s the Iowa Jazz Championships for a reason. There will be 15 bands in each class, and they’re bands from all over the state. They are the best of the best. It’s for placement, there are trophies for the top eight bands in each class, and they pick four outstanding soloists in each class. So it’s the pinnacle of competition for high school jazz bands in Iowa.”

Mid-Prairie has finished as high as eighth in the past, but Kunz believes this is the year they make a serious run at some of the top spots in class 2A. W-MU meanwhile, is the defending class 1A champions, and they are making their seventh straight appearance at the championships. Mid-Prairie will be performing at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, while W-MU will take the stage at 3:45 p.m.