July 01, 2026 - 218 views
A talented teenage drummer was left speechless after discovering his seriously ill grandfather had secretly travelled from Durham to watch him perform at a major North Wales music gala.
Sixteen-year-old Tyler Chown, from Llandyrnog near Denbigh, was performing for the first time at the annual Denbighshire Music Cooperative gala concert when he spotted his grandad, Iain Bracken, in the audience moments before receiving a top award.
Iain, who is living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), made the four-hour journey despite his condition in a determined effort to see his grandson perform live for the first time.
The emotional surprise came at Ysgol Brynhyfryd in Ruthin, just before Tyler was named Secondary Musician of the Year at the prestigious event.
Tyler said he had no idea his grandad was attending.
“I didn’t know he was going to be here tonight and it was a shock to see him,” he said. “He’s not well but I was really happy to show him what I can do.”
His grandfather said watching Tyler perform in person was a moment he did not want to miss.
“Tyler’s a smashing lad and I love him to bits but this is the first time I’ve seen him play although I’ve seen loads of videos. He was pretty amazing,” said Iain.
The gala concert, held annually by the Denbighshire Music Cooperative, celebrates young musical talent from across the region and is supported by arts organisation Pendine Park through the Pendine Arts and Community Trust (PACT), which funds bursaries providing a year of free tuition for award winners.
Tyler, who plays drums in his school rock band and the organisation’s Four County Fusion Band, was praised for both his talent and teamwork.
Music Cooperative manager Wyn Pearson said Tyler had impressed multiple tutors.
“Tyler’s a good player with a great teamworking attitude and it was no great surprise that he was selected by no less than four tutors for his contribution,” he said.
Tyler said receiving the award, presented in memory of Wyn Pearson’s father John Pearson, meant a great deal to him.
“I’m very busy with the bands and ensembles but I enjoy it and I enjoy helping out wherever I can,” he added.
Denbighshire Music Cooperative chair Cllr Mark Young said the evening highlighted the strength of young musical talent across the region.
“We’re also hugely grateful to Mario and Gill Kreft who support our annual awards across the three counties of Denbighshire, Wrexham and Conwy,” he said.
“They are always incredibly supportive of the work we do with young people and their continued partnership allows the award winners to benefit from bursaries which offer a year’s tuition from our tutors.”
PACT co-founder Mario Kreft said the awards reflected the importance of music in communities across North Wales.
“It was particularly appropriate that these awards were sponsored by PACT, given the important role music, creativity and the arts play in communities across North Wales while also providing a golden thread that runs through daily life at Pendine,” he said.
The evening also featured the launch of a new Chairman’s Award, recognising outstanding contribution to Welsh culture.
This year’s recipient was harpist Mared Parry, a pupil at Ysgol Glan Clwyd in St Asaph, who performed for the King and Queen at St Asaph Cathedral during the Maundy Thursday service.
The Primary Musician of the Year award went to 10-year-old harpist Noa Edwards, from Ysgol Carreg Emlyn in Clocaenog, who only began learning the instrument less than a year ago.
“I had no idea I was going to be presented with a trophy and didn’t plan on being here but my dad said I should come and that I wouldn’t regret it. I’m really happy now,” he said.
The final honour, the Special Recognition Award, was presented to cornet player Ollie-James Clarke, a pupil at Ysgol Twm o’r Nant in Denbigh, recognised for his dedication through the Brighter Future Brass Project.
Education leaders praised the young musicians, with Denbighshire County Council’s Head of Education Geraint Davies saying the evening was about more than awards, highlighting “commitment, creativity, resilience and the courage it takes to learn something new in a world that often pulls us in the opposite direction.”
