A BRASS academy band from Andover is celebrating after success in the recent Basingstoke Music and Arts Festival at Queen Mary's College on March 4.

Test Valley Brass Academy Band won best performance after playing four pieces including the dramatic The Conquest of Paradise by Vangelis. Their performance was judged to have been "outstanding both technically and artistically" and won best performance in the entire Ensembles section, which includes all choirs, bands and orchestras.

The band were invited back to the festival's 60th anniversary Gala Concert on March 26 where, under the baton of Ken West, they both opened and closed the concert and were presented with the Charles Chute Cup.

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This was a huge achievement for the academy band, which is now in its 10th year of teaching adults to play brass instruments and encouraging younger players from the Test Valley Brass Junior Bands to widen their experience by playing with them.

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There are now plans in the pipeline to have a grand 10th Anniversary Academy Reunion Concert in November, for all past and present members.

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The academy band meets at John Hanson School at 6.30pm on Monday evenings. It is one of the bands in the Test Valley Brass group which have all been actively involved with contests in recent weeks. The Frosty's (children's) band and the youth band also did well at the Basingstoke Festival, whilst the senior band was busy contesting at both Oxford and Torquay.

More information on Test Valley Brass can be found at testvalleybrass.co.uk.