ST. CLAIRSVILLE — St. Clairsville Marching Band received a superior rating — the highest rating a band can receive — at the Ohio Music Education Association state finals.

After performing at local competitions throughout the OMEA competition season, the band received a 1 ranking on a 1-5 scale with one being the highest, to make it to the state finals. Bands that receive a 1 rating get invited to the state level after seven judges look at different aspects of their performance, including music, visual, general effect, color guard and drums.

At the state competition, judges assess a band’s performance again but at a higher level. The band received a superior ranking at every local show this year, going undefeated in its class, Class B, with 60 students in the band.

Band director Justin Schwertfeger said the ultimate goal is to receive a superior rating at the state competition in Medina. The band also got a superior rating from every judge at the competition, along with only a couple other bands out of 120 competitors.

The Red Devil Band also performed in a national circuit, Bands of America, with bands from all over the country. It placed third in Class A and won best visuals.

At the state competition, the band performed its “Mirror, Mirror” show. The band based the theme on the evil queen from Snow White. It had a big “magic mirror” that had lights and a mask that would come up and talk. At the end of the performance, a younger member dressed up as Snow White to be in the mirror.

“It was enjoyable to put together,” Schwertfeger said. “We had a fun time doing it, creating it and coming up with different ideas. The kids really enjoyed the crowd reaction when the face would come up into the mirror.”

The band starts practicing and putting its competition show together in January and February, planning what music to play, what props it will use and the costume students will wear. Students start working on fundamentals over the summer and then go away to band camp for a week, where members start learning a lot of the show. Students also practiced after school three days a week.

“The kids put in a ton of hard work,” Schwertfeger said. “They’re really motivated, competitive. We have a really cool family atmosphere here, where everyone supports each other and enjoys being together and working hard and making music.”

He described competition days as “game days.”

Members of the band were excited to receive a superior rating at the state show as their last show of the season, he said. And he was excited himself that all of the hard work the students put in paid off. He said the whole goal is for the students to have a good time and a musical and positive experience.

Schwertfeger said the show is bittersweet because the band is performing at the state level, but it is also the last show of the season when the whole group will get to perform the show together.

He said he wants to continue to grow and get better, as one of the band’s mottos is “better every day and try to improve.” He hopes to keep receiving superior ratings in the future.

“The kids are what make it,” he said. “Not only do they do competitions, but they play for football games, volleyball games, soccer games, basketball games. They do community events, parades. They’re asked to do more than just their competition. They’re kind of the pulse of the school.”

He noted the band has tremendous parent volunteers who step up to fundraise to find ways to support expenses when it comes to music, instruments, fuel and travel. He also expressed his appreciation to the band’s sponsors, including title sponsor PanHandle Cleaning. He also expressed appreciation for support from St. Clairsville’s American Legion.

“It’s something that we work toward all season,” Schwertfeger said. “It’s not our only goal, but it’s one of our goals. To reach that level, to get a superior rating, you’re at least hitting a high standard there at the state level. And it’s one of our goals to go into, to put on a fun show that both the judges and the audience enjoy.”