Two young New England musicians are among 28 emerging artists selected for the 2026 CMAA Academy of Country Music Junior Course, one of the most sought-after development programs in Australian country music.
Miah from Tamworth and Peyton from Inverell will join students from across NSW, Queensland, Victoria, and Tasmania for the intensive week-long program, running Saturday, 5 July to Saturday, 11 July in Tamworth, ahead of the Hats Off to Country festival.
The Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) program includes 24 Singer-Songwriter-Performer students and four Instrumentalists. Miah and Peyton have both been selected as Singer-Songwriter-Performers, supported by Music Australia funding.
Academy General Manager Roger Corbett said the quality of this year’s applicants had been impressive.
“There’s so much young talent coming through Australian country music at the moment and the Academy gives these artists a real chance to learn, grow and connect with people in the industry,” he said.
“What’s always exciting is seeing how much students develop over the course of the program.”
Academy Director Lyn Bowtell said watching young performers grow in confidence was the highlight of the week.
“The thing I love most about The Academy is watching students grow in confidence over the week, both onstage and off,” she said.
The 2026 tutor team includes Singer-Songwriter group leaders Brendon Walmsley, Aleyce Simmonds, and Sarah Buckley, alongside Instrumental tutor Brendan Radford.
Students will graduate on Saturday, 11 July at 11am with a concert at Liberty College in Tamworth.
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