Born in Birmingham in 1954, Dave’s considerable musical talents were recognised in school at the tender age of eleven. At fifteen, he was selected to be principal cornet for the West Midlands Best of Brass Ensemble. Joining several brass bands in the locality, he played soprano cornet for City of Birmingham in the late seventies.

In 1988, he joined Arrow Valley Brass as a solo cornet, moving on to principal cornet, a position he held for some twenty-five years until his untimely death in 2017. He became conductor of the AVB training band, taking them to perform in contests and concerts. Many band members  will have known Dave, not only for his musical ability but for his humour and charismatic personality.

Dave’s family are proud to donate the Dave Hodgetts Memorial Trophy as a tribute to a man who is sorely missed, both musically and personally.

The trophy is awarded annually at the Wychavon Contest to the player making the most outstanding overall contribution to their band’s performance in the Third Section.