The 2026 Senior Academy graduation concert on Thursday, 15 January concluded a very productive and busy two weeks at the CMAA Academy Of Country Music program attended by Berridale musician, Gabi Forman, among a number of other talented emerging country artists from Australia, New Zealand and the US.

The 12-day senior instrumental program was a highlight for 19-year-old Gabi, an award winning singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and performer from the Snowy Mountains who loves country, folk and bluegrass, and is heavily influenced by Molly Tuttle, the Carter Family, Bill Monroe and Old Crow Medicine Show.

Gabi plays guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele and harmonica, and she writes to evoke emotion, connect and to tell a story.

Gabi attended the Academy as an instrumental student on a partial scholarship, thanks to funding provided to the Academy by Maton Guitars.

“I am so grateful for the support I have received to attend this prestigious academy - thank you to Maton Guitars, Snowy River Sub-branch of the RSL (donation) and @soundnsw (grant) along with a beautiful local accommodation billet for academy and support from the Bears Football Club for our caravan sites for my band for the festival,” Gabi said.

One of the workshops featured award winning musician, Kasey Chambers, who shared her expertise with the emerging musicians ahead of this week’s 2026 Tamworth Country Music Festival.

With the academy over Gabi and band The Wayward Pilgrims will be performing at the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

The popular festival features a mix of big stadium acts to intimate pub shows, and emerging artists.

The line-up includes major Australian country stars like Lee Kernaghan, Troy Cassar-Daley, Adam Harvey, and Fanny Lumsden, alongside other favourites such as The Wolfe Brothers, The Bushwackers, and Ashleigh Dallas, with events running from January 16-25 at various venues across Tamworth.