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Ashley Carter says time at the academy is all about becoming a professional musician.

Max Fleet

FOUR former Bundaberg students are continuing to prove the city's musical pedigree by studying among the country's elite instrumentalists.

Melbourne's Australian National Academy of Music has 65 students enrolled this year and four of them are from Bundaberg - clarinettists Nick Evans and Alex Morris, trombonist Ashley Carter and violinist Edwina George.

Ashley said his time at the academy was all about becoming a professional musician.

"The teachers really focus on our performances and how we can become better performers," he said.

"The standard of the students is mind-blowing; it's amazing how good everyone is."

Edwina, who first picked up a violin at age four, said the way the academy was structured was different to other music institutions.

"There is no sit-down theory like a lot of universities," she said.

"We attend professional development classes, receive business and accounting advice and also have lessons with a sports psychologist."

For Alex, the professional environment the academy provides is a stepping stone into the real world, with a "hefty workload", but it also provided a number of travel perks.

"So far I've travelled across Queensland with regional tours as well as to Europe, China and America," he said.

Nick said the academy was a wonderful place for students at this stage in their career

"We are paid a living allowance, which covers rent and food," he said.

"This enables us to really concentrate on our instruments without worrying about trying to juggle part-time work."

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