The CMAA Academy Of Country Music's intensive Senior Course is open for this coming summer, spanning 12 days prior to the commencement of the 2027 Tamworth Country Music Festival.
For all aspiring and emerging artists this could be the chance to really catapult into the next stages of their country music career.
We sat down with Bec Gracie from The Academy to have a chat with her about the program, its students and the industry.
Countrytown: Who are some of the big names that have come out of the Academy and gone on to great things in Australian country music?
Bec Gracie: Sara Storer, The McClymonts, James Johnston, Jessica Mauboy, Amber Lawrence, Lyn Bowtell, Wade Forster, Max Jackson, Kaylee Bell, Ashleigh Dallas, Melody Moko, The Davidson Brothers, Judah Kelly, Adam Eckersley, Tom Curtain, Melanie Dyer, Homegrown, and Jenny Mitchell.
CT: What will prospective students have in store for them upon successful entry into The CMAA Academy?
BG: Students will receive mentoring and tuition from award-winning artists and respected industry professionals in all aspects of what it takes to have a music career.
The course covers performance, songwriting, musicianship, business, media, touring, and all the bits and pieces in between that independent artists need to cover when building a career.
The course includes all tuition (including online modules prior to attending), take-home resources, meals over the 12 days, and there are at least two public performances as part of the Senior Course.
CT: What is the application process like?
BG: Applicants need to complete an online application form which includes their details, as well as why they want to attend The Academy, their influences, skill level, theory knowledge/education, etc.
They also need to include a performance video, short biography, headshot and promo photo, and song lyrics if they are submitting an original song in their audition video.
CT: How important is The Academy’s relationship to Tamworth Country Music Festival and what opportunities come about for the students due to the timing of the course and the festival?
BG: The students graduate the night before the Tamworth Country Music Festival officially begins and they perform as a group at the Official Opening Concert in front of about 5,000 people in Toyota Park.
Having The Academy running in the 12 days prior to the festival means the graduates are already in Tamworth and most stay for some or all of the festival to perform and network and hone the skills they learned at The Academy.
The Academy has developed strong relationships with TCMF and other businesses in Tamworth, which also leads to further performance opportunities throughout the festival, including a dedicated FanZone spot for The Academy graduates, as well as showcase events.
CT: How does The Academy support under-represented minority artists in the Australian Country Music scene?
BG: The Academy recently developed an Indigenous scholarship with UNE Tamworth, and has a dedicated First Nations Cultural Advisor as part of our support system for Indigenous artists.
Our rotating roster of staff often include Indigenous and LGBTQI+ members, with The Academy being an ally of the LGBTQI+ community, where all students, guardians, staff and guests, regardless of how they identify, will be welcomed and treated with respect.
Whilst applications usually must come from Australian or New Zealand residents (with some exceptions, including our annual exchange student from the US), artists from all races, religions, and backgrounds are welcome to apply and attend, with acceptance into the courses based purely on merit.
With a focus on independent emerging artists across the board as students accepted into the courses, The Academy has a range of scholarships to assist students who may believe the cost of the course is beyond them.
All applicants have the chance to apply for the scholarships, as part of the application process. To be considered for any available funding, they must tick a box and also explain why it is needed, or why they would make a worthy recipient.
Additionally, our staff members are always available to support students who are applying for grants to attend.
CT: What sets The Academy apart from other retreats, short-courses and songwriting sessions in Australian Country Music?
BG: The Academy has been running for 30 years in 2027 (having begun as The CMAA College of Country Music in 1997 – Artistic Director Lyn Bowtell was among the graduates in 1997, the same year she went on to win Star Maker) and many of Australia’s top country artists have attended The Academy.
We’ve had more than 1,000 graduates with a strong track record of graduates who have gone onto winning and being grand finalists in Toyota Star Maker, been contestants and won Australian Idol, X Factor, and The Voice, and we have many alumni who are Golden Guitar finalists and winners.
Graduates and alumni often talk about how they "found their tribe" at The Academy and how it’s truly life-changing. We believe part of that magic is what happens when artists are fully submerged with like-minded peers over quite an intensive period, and with lengthy days over a 12-day course, the experience they receive at The Academy is truly like no other.
CT: Is The Academy in any way affiliated with the annual Golden Guitars and how so?
BG: The Academy is not affiliated as such, but The CMAA is the overarching body across both the Golden Guitars and The Academy and, as stated previously, we have many alumni who have gone on to win, or be finalists, in the Golden Guitars.
Graduates often get the chance to drive the cars that take the artists to the red carpet at the Golden Guitars as well.
CT: How have the skills developed in the Academy advanced the aims and careers of past students?
BG: The Academy gives them the tools they will need to build a career in the music industry and creates a network of people they can call on for advice and support when they need it.
The skills they develop during the program of course build upon their natural talent, but what we hear time and time again is that The Academy gives them "the push" they've been needing to take their careers to the next level.
Receiving industry insight and knowledge from those who have already forged a career in this space, often learning the "what-not-to-dos" or the pitfalls of the industry, as well as those jewels of advice that just make the penny drop, and upskilling in practical areas (masterclasses, chart writing/reading, songwriting etc) can really advance the career of a motivated artist/musician.
One of the biggest takeaways from The Academy for students include the lifelong friendships and networks they make, which lead to collaborations and career-advancing opportunities throughout their lives.
CT: What streams of the Senior Academy can students partake in when doing the course?
BG: There are two "streams" which are the Singer-Songwriter-Performer stream and the Instrumental stream.
There are sessions that all students attend, no matter which stream they are in, while there are also separate sessions built around the skill sets that each stream focuses on, so the band will focus more heavily on how to play together cohesively as a unit, how to play for other artists, etc, and the Singer-Songwriter-Performers do sessions on songwriting and performance workshops.
However, Instrumental students may also be given the opportunity to write songs and perform as artists in their own right if they wish.
CT: What changes would the Academy like to see from the Australian Country Music scene to help better support young or emerging artists in the future?
BG: The Academy would love to see more access to industry-led development opportunities for young and emerging artists, particularly outside the major metropolitan centres.
More opportunities for mentoring, professional development, performance opportunities and connections with established artists and industry professionals would also be helpful.
It is all about building a sustainable future for Australian country music by assisting artists to enter the industry and stay. This can only happen if they can build careers that are sustainable.
Greater support/opportunities for Australian female identifying artists, particularly on festival lineups, would also be a welcome change.
The percentage of female students coming through our programs, both Junior and Senior, nearly always outnumber male students, yet the industry clearly favours male artists when it comes to festival lineups, especially headline spots.
It's something that concerns us, as you can't be what you can't see.
The 2027 CMAA Academy of Country Music Senior course runs from 4 – 15 January 2027 and applications close Monday 28 September 2026. Applications are available via The Academy's website.
