Behind every artist and live performance is a network of talented session musicians, producers and engineers bringing the music to life. Yet, despite the vital role they play in the music industry, opportunities for aspiring session musicians can be difficult to secure.
For many musicians, building a career as a session player requires professional studio experience and industry connections. The challenge is breaking into an industry where access to these pathways is often limited for those without an established network or track record. Without the chance to take part in recording sessions, and work with producers, artists and other industry professionals, many gifted musicians can struggle to take their careers to the next level.
Forté Project x PPL, delivered by Beacons Cymru and supported through PPL Giving, is a programme designed to support the next generation of session musicians and producers in Wales. Now in its third year, the project provides practical recording and performance experience, mentorship, industry guidance and wellbeing support.
By helping participants develop skills, confidence, professional networks and career opportunities in Wales, it’s strengthening the country’s creative talent pipeline and ensuring more emerging musicians can build sustainable careers without feeling they need to leave Wales to progress.
Anastassia Svets, Project Officer at Beacons Cymru, comments on the importance of the project:
Session work, production, studio engineering, collaborative songwriting: these are extremely important areas of the music industry, and unfortunately currently there’s a lack of beginner-friendly spaces to learn and gain expertise.
The 2025 programme took place between April and October and brought together 20 aspiring session musicians, three producers and three artists to write and record original music. Participants took part in workshops, development sessions, rehearsals and studio recordings, working alongside seasoned industry professionals throughout the process while gaining first-hand exposure to every stage of the professional recording process.
Importantly, they were paid professional session fees for their involvement in the recordings. Early-career musicians are routinely asked to work for free, but Forté Project x PPL rejects that idea by treating creative work as something that deserves to be paid from the start.
For musicians looking to build sustainable careers, the relationships formed through programmes like Forté Project x PPL can be just as valuable as the skills developed in the studio.
One 2025 participant commented:
“I think meeting people was one of the most valuable parts of this project as so much about being a musician is about networking. It was also brilliant to get studio experience and to get to learn on the job. It was great that [the engineer] was so happy to talk about things and answer questions while in the studio too.“
Building on the success of its first two years, Forté Project x PPL returned in 2026 with its largest cohort to date.
Following an open selection process, 18 up-and-coming session musicians and three producers were selected. Rehearsal and arrangement sessions took place in June and July, followed by recording sessions in August and, now, producers are using September and October to mix and master the final tracks.
One of this year’s artists, Wrenna, said:
“From an artist’s perspective, [for session musicians] it’s so important to get your foot in the door and understand how to work collaboratively with the artist and producer and sound engineer, because it’s hard to know where to start.”
That’s why initiatives like Forté Project x PPL are integral. By supporting aspiring session musicians, Beacons Cymru and PPL Giving are working to ensure that talent is not lost simply because opportunity is limited. In doing so, they’re helping to create a stronger future for Welsh musicians and the culture and language that inspire their work.
