The Emley Band has given a new 'Best Percussion' trophy to be presented at the forthcoming Third Section Yorkshire Regional Championships in Huddersfield.

The Gary Brown Memorial Trophy commemorates the band's late chairman who was at the heart of everything Emley achieved and who was responsible for many of the organisation's successful projects both on and off the contest and concert stage.

Percussion section

A spokesperson told 4BR: "The trophy is going to a percussion section even though Gary started out as a bass player.

Following an operation he was unable to muster the puff to carry on playing brass, so undeterred he joined the percussion team and learnt the skills required to play a multitude of instruments!"

They added: "He settled on timpani (it was closest to his mates in the bass section) and as his cancer progressed the mix of band and family helped give him greatly — and none more so than finding out the 2018 test-piece had a timpani solo in it.

That saw him play one more time at Huddersfield at the Yorkshire Area and be a part of another performance."

Following an operation he was unable to muster the puff to carry on playing brass, so undeterred he joined the percussion team and learnt the skills required to play a multitude of instruments!Emley Band

Timp sticks

They added: "Gary's last contest performance with Emley was at the 2019 Brass at the Guild event where he was part of the 'Best Percussion' team.

Because of this, it seemed right to have a trophy in the form of a pair of timp sticks to remember him by."