A FOREST brass band ended the year on a high note at the first Gloucestershire Brass Bands Association (GBBA) Open Contest in three years - winning nine of the top prizes.

The GBBA contest resumed after two years’ break due to the pandemic on Sunday, November 27, with six Forest bands taking part - the AW Parker (Drybrook) Band, Pillowell Silver Band, Cinderford Academy Band, Lydbrook Band, Parkend Silver Band and Forest Brass.

The contest gave the musicians the opportunity to take the stage and show of their skills playing a march and test piece, while meeting up with their banding friends once again.

The event, held at Severn Vale School in Quedgeley, proved a successful one for the local bands, with Pillowell Band winning the ‘4th section March and Test Piece’ and Forest of Dean Brass winning the ‘Best Brass Section’ of the day.

The best youth section were the cornets of Lydbrook Training Band, six-year-old Agnes Barzilia from Lydbrook Training Band was awarded the Ivor Jordan Trophy as the youngest player, and Lydbrook were also awarded the Ossie Adlam Memorial Trophy for the most players under 14.

But the greatest success of all came to A.W.Parker (Drybrook) Band in the First Section.

The band came away with a multitude of prizes, including best horn section winners of the 1st Section march and test piece, a trophy for the winning conductor Joshua Ruck and the main award, the overall GBBA Champions.

A spokesperson said their success in the contest was “a great way for the band to end the year!”