Carnoustie and District Youth Brass Band has narrowly missed out on being crowned the top band in the UK for the third year running.
The band lost their British Youth Brass Band Championships title to Welsh band Gwynedd and Mon Senior Band at the competition in Manchester on Sunday.
Some consolation was band member Calum Tonner winning the prize for best instrumentalist with his superb performance of a Harry James trumpet concerto.
Adjudicators Simone Rubello and Garry Cutt described his performance as “outstanding” and the band performance as “exhilarating”. The band has had a fantastic 12 months since winning the title last year.
They were first Scottish brass band to be invited to play at the British Youth Proms at the Albert Hall. In November, the band regained its Scottish title from West Lothian Schools.
Members had prepared for the defence of the British title with an intensive two-day workshop with Dr Nicholas Childs, the conductor of the Black Dyke Brass Band, who came to Carnoustie last week to help the band with finishing touches.
The band then held an informal concert at St Anne’s Roman Catholic Church on Friday which was packed full of supporters.
Conductor Michael Robertson said: “The young people in the band played extremely well and are a credit to their schools, their parents and they are a joy to work with.
“They should be very proud of their achievements.”