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.

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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.

St Helens Star:

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."