Sidmouth Town Band members can blow their own trumpets, cornets, horns and trombones after securing a top-five finish at the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.
Impressed adjudicators ranked the band fifth out of 16 in the contest’s second section on Saturday - its highest-ever placing in the competition.
The band represented the South West region after qualifying for the final stage in March.
Fiona Harvey, principal cornet player, said: “The band was so stylish on stage, giving everything to the performance.
“Everyone came off stage knowing that we had done well - for the adjudicators to agree is fantastic.”
Ahead of the final at Cheltenham Racecourse on Saturday, the band had also guaranteed promotion to the first section from January.
It is the highest grading in the band’s history.
Principal trombone player Christopher Holland said: “It was a fantastic result for the band and a great weekend.
“It’s always good to see Sidmouth’s name up there with the ‘big boys’ of the music world.”
The band’s chosen piece, Images for Brass, was written by Stephen Bulla in 1995 to mark 50 years since the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Martin Cordy, chairman of the band, said it was ‘a real honour’ to compete at Cheltenham and to achieve what it did.
He added: “The band’s efforts were well-rewarded and the result reflected the time and dedication from the players, musical director and supporters alike.”
The band’s next concert will be on Saturday, October 8, at 3pm in the Manor Pavilion Theatre. Tickets (£5) from the box office.
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