The Andover Band has been enjoying highly successful trips to far flung outposts of the banding world in the last few months – from the Alps to Cheltenham in fact.

Palaces and Castles

Before the band claimed a well deserved third place at the Fourth Section National Finals they had just enjoyed a remarkable trip to Italy and Luxembourg, where as part of a ‘Palaces & Castles’ tour they performed at the magnificent Fort Fenestrelle near Piedmont in Northern Italy, which is claimed to be the only other man made structure visible from space apart from the Great Wall of China.

Hannibal

The fort straddles the dramatic valley first used to cross the Alps by Hannibal and his elephants, so it proved to be a fantastic spot to play a bit of marching music.

As part of the tour the band also visited the Royal Palace in Turin, and was honoured to perform at a sell out charity concert to raise money for victims of May’s Italian earthquake.

As part of the tour the band also visited the Royal Palace in Turin, and was honoured to perform at a sell out charity concert to raise money for victims of May’s Italian earthquake4BR

Tremendous progress

MD Steve Large, told 4BR: "This year we have made tremendous progress as a team. Players have practiced and improved, but our highly successful trip to Italy has helped to cement the group.

As a result, even more we all want to perform at our very best for each other – and that was plain to see and hear on the stage in Cheltenham."