A BRASS band have hit the right notes yet again as they qualified to represent the north west at the National Championships for the second year in a row.
Haydock-based Valley Brass gained the runners-up spot at the North West Regional Championships held at The Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
Under musical director Dave Chadwick, the band performed a brand new composition from Kit Turnbull entitled The Golden Sabre.
Finishing in the runners-up position means that the band has qualified to represent the region at the National Championships.
READ MORE > Two additional dates added to have your say on Gamble Building
Adjudicators Alan Morrison and Ian Brownbill said of Valley Brass' performance: "The well led outfit in Valley Brass Haydock (who also qualified for a second successive year), whose battle-hardened MD used experience and contesting nous to develop a series of narrative storylines with cohesion and relevance — from the opening dawn light bugle calls to the triumphant swagger of the 'Trionfale' Borodino finale".
Meanwhile, the band has also formed its own 'Entente Cordial' with a partnership from across the Channel.
Valley Brass has announced its latest musical partners are the Band of Courseulles sur Mer from Normandy in France.
MP Conor McGinn with Valley Brass
Dave Chadwick said: "After some initial visits we have formed a musical partnership with this band.
"This will see musical exchanges between each group every year from now on.
"At a recent concert we welcomed a number of representatives from Courseulles and enjoyed a speech from our MP Conor McGinn who then presented the President of Courseulles with an engraved glass plaque to commemorate this."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here