About the Academy
The Academy has been operating since 1997, firstly as The CMAA College of Country Music and later as The CMAA Academy of Country Music. The Academy currently runs Senior and Junior residential courses mentoring and nurturing the careers of hundreds of young performers from every corner of Australia and New Zealand. The fee includes all accommodation, meals, mentoring, workshops, tuition and performances for the duration of the course. The courses are held at Calrossy School in Tamworth during January (Senior) and July (Junior).
Since 1997 The Academy has produced many Award winning and successful artists in the Country Music genre and beyond.
These alumni have gone on to create viable careers in the country music industry featuring in major Talent Quests (Toyota Starmaker, Australian Idol, X Factor and The Voice) on the charts and in the Golden Guitar Awards. The Academy allows each student to chart a course towards creating a successful career by connecting with professional mentors, leaders, song writers, producers, artists, peers and career builders. For musicians, the Instrumental course isa once in a lifetime opportunity to be taught, mentored and trained by the very best musicians and producers in the business. For songwriters, the opportunity to write with a hit songwriter, one-on-one is invaluable and for performers, there is the opportunity to perform in front of industry leaders, peers and fans.
Past Students
Alumni of The Academy include Sara Storer, The McClymonts, Amber Lawrence, Jessica Mauboy, Caitlyn Shadbolt, Lyn Bowtell, Travis Collins, The Davidson Brothers, Brothers Three, Kristy List, Jedd Hughes, Judah Kelly, Daniel Thompson, Adam Eckersley, Brendon Walmsley, Luke Austen, Kylie Sackley, Travis Sinclair, Tom Curtain, Michael Muchow, John Stephan, The Sunny Cowgirls, Harmony James, Lou Bradley, 8Ball Aitken, Talia Whitman, Katie Brianna, Liam Brew, Chelsea Basham, Kaylee Bell, Tori Darke, Ashleigh Dallas, Christie Lamb, Melanie Dyer, Imogen Clark, Alison Forbes, Harry Hookey, Gretta Ziller, Michael Cole, Rachel Fahim, Home Grown, Ben Ransom, Baylou, Nathaniel O’Brien, Liam Kennedy Clark, Jenny Mitchell, Hayley Marsten, Tania Cornish, Billy Bridge , Rebecca Lee Nye and many more.
Staff and Mentors
Staff, mentors and guests at The Academy include Lyn Bowtell, Roger Corbett, Kevin Bennett, Catherine Britt, Lachlan Bryan, Fanny Lumsden, Amber Lawrence, Ashleigh Dallas, Alan Caswell and more.
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