A MILDURA musician whose band was signed to a record label when he was just 14 years-old has been selected to take part in a prestigious music program.
Courtney McMullan is one of eight school students from across the state selected for the Melbourne Recital Centre’s Accelerando program, which provides exceptional young musicians with a year-long tailored program to hone their craft.
Students will attend lessons with leading industry professionals, world-class concerts and masterclasses, access high-quality music technology and perform in an end of year recital in Melbourne Recital Centre’s Primrose Potter Salon.
The students from years 10, 11 and 12 were selected through a series of rigorous auditions, with many drawn to the program to access a world-class music education not available in their hometowns.
McMullan, a year 11 student from Mildura Senior College, will travel more than 500km to Melbourne every week for the program.
He was selected based on his exceptional talent as a guitarist and singer-songwriter, having already signed his indie-rock band Birddog with Gold Coast-based indie label Dark Escapes at only 14 years old, McMullan has already played with the likes of Reece Mastin and said he was eager to take the next step in his career.
“There aren’t too many opportunities in the music scene in Mildura, so I am extremely grateful to be a part of this program,” he said.
“Even though I will be flying to and from Melbourne each weekend I imagine I’ll get used to it quickly and the benefits the program offers make it worth every kilometre.
“As a musician living in a rural area like Mildura it comes with its ups and downs. Growing up I had diagnosed anxiety, this was definitely a setback when wanting to try new things, often having very physical reactions, but I’m proud that I’ve been able to overcome these challenges to continue to develop my sound and build a career as a recording artist.”
Melbourne Recital Centre’s Learning and Access Coordinator, Belinda Ashe, said 50 per cent of the selected students came from regional towns.
“Many of this year’s students hail from communities with limited access to musical opportunities, owing to constrained funding and remote locations,” Ms Ashe said.
“They are producing amazing work for their age and it’s truly exciting that we can provide them with the opportunity to refine their skills further and prepare for a promising career in the industry.”
