MEMBERS of brilliant Redditch band Arrow Valley Brass are celebrating after they swept the board at a competition in Cheltenham last Sunday.
The band, founded by Studley resident Dave Stanley 41 years ago, snapped up all six cups on offer at the Gloucestershire Brass Band Association contest including overall winner – beating three bands in a higher class in the process.
Not only that but they also bagged a prize cheque of £200.
The band, under the baton of conductor Andy Culshaw, played two pieces, one a set work the other of their own choice.
“The result was absolutely astonishing,” said director of music Dave.
“I don’t think we’ve had a day like it in years – I thought we’d done all right but to win the whole lot was incredible.”
The band won their own section, were named best overall, Sarah Wadey won Best Soprano Cornet, Norman Taylor Best Cornet, Simon Bateman Best Flugelhorn, and they also won Best Horn Section.
Their success came after a busy Remembrance Weekend when the band helped raise £2,000 for the Poppy Appeal at ‘A Night To Remember’ in Inkberrow.
The next day, Remembrance Sunday, they were back to play for the service on the Green and at the War Memorial.
Several band members were deployed elsewhere playing the Last Post and Reveille. Norman Taylor was at Studley, David Hunt at Feckenham, Sarah Wadey at Blockley, with Sally Hussell, Laura Zalewski and Crystal Helland at Inkberrow.
Amy Gray had already played for Birchensale Middle School.
Dave said afterwards: “I am very proud that we have so many players to take on these duties. It was a busy but fulfilling two days after which they still had enough left to do an hour and a half’s rehearsal, with Andy, for the contest in Cheltenham!”
