On Saturday, November 5, 2011 the U.S. Open Brass Band Championships were pleased to award the Roy Newsome Memorial Award for the Best Performance of a March to the Dublin Silver Band for their performance of the march
“Mercury” by Jan Van der Roost.

Perhaps it is fitting that the award went to the Dublin Silver Band as Dr. Newsome was somewhat of a mentor to DSB co-founder and former director Dr. Paul Droste. When Roy Newsome was adjudicating the North American Championships in 1985, Paul was allowed to sit with Roy during most of the contest as he was preparing to judge the New Zealand Championships later that spring and needed some experience with a veteran judge. He was able to look over his shoulder, listen to his comments, and compare opinions. Droste recalls, "From that moment on Roy became a mentor and friend to me."

Droste had several other opportunities to receive guidance from Newsome including a 1986 workshop hosted by the River City Brass Band, and various visits to the UK which included clinics at Salford College, and personal talks whenever Droste was over for the Open or National finals.

"His passing is a great loss to me personally. Roy was one of my early contacts with the brass band movement and a great influence on my career as a brass band conductor. I think that naming the Best Performance of a March Award after Roy Newsome is a fitting tribute to a brass band giant" Paul Droste.

The cash award of $250.00 and the commemorative plaque were sponsored by Brass Bands International, hosts of the event.