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By DEB NICKLAY, Of The Globe Gazette

NEW YORK - As night shadowed the windows of Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City on March 17, smiles on the faces of the Mason City High School Concert Choir remained bright.

Earlier that day, the 78-member choir had achieved the highest rating at the New York Choral Festival, an honor earned over six other choirs.

The choir was invited to appear at the adjudicated performance, considered a "best of the best" event among high school choirs.

By nightfall, the shimmer of the performance remained bright in many eyes.

"I learned how good we could be as a group," said Courtney Sellon, 17.

"I knew we were good when we stepped on the stage, but once we began, I could really feel it come together," she said. "That was exciting."

The performance was the culmination of a six-day trip to the Big Apple. Students conducted fund-raisers to pay for the trip that also allowed students to visit several sites, including Ellis Island, NBC Studios, the Empire State Building and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They also saw Broadway and off-Broadway shows.

Students attended music clinics, including one with the grand master of concert choirs, Weston Noble.

Noble directs the prestigious Nordic Choir of Luther College in Decorah.

Emily Meinecke, 18, said the group's visit to Ground Zero, the scene of the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, was the most impressive.

"It made me sad," she said. "I thought I had forgotten about it. But when you stood there and looked around, when you looked at where those buildings were ..."

Brad Bissig, 17, said that the appearance at Lincoln Center topped all of the other events.

"I was nervous, but once you're up there, you're just pumped," he said.

Christa Cira, 18, agreed, but said the whole experience was fun.

"I saw things I never thought I would see," she said. "It was the best time of my life."