A selective music intensive in Nassau, Bahamas where students build their musicianship, creative voice, and artistic identity through performance and production.
Hosted at R.M. Bailey Senior High School · Nassau, Bahamas
Founded by Christopher Hilton, Bahamian jazz bassist at Oberlin Conservatory
Why This Program Exists
Many talented young creatives in Nassau pour themselves into their craft, whether they're headed for the stage, the studio, or both. But without serious mentorship, a peer environment that pushes them, and a program that holds them to a real standard, they rarely find out what they are actually capable of.
Serious creative development has long required leaving home or going without. That gap is real. This program exists because of it.
Nassau has the talent. Island Innovators Bahamas is the opportunity.
2025 Results
The Tribune
July 4, 2025
"My vision for Island Innovators was never meant to be just a one-time summer programme; I've always envisioned it growing into something bigger, more sustainable, and more accessible across The Bahamas."
"I liked that the instructors were young so it was relatable to him."
2025 Parent
"It was worth the education."
2025 Parent
Nassau, Bahamas · Summer 2025
Island Innovators Bahamas began as a broader creative and technical pilot spanning music, coding, and robotics. The 2026 intensive focuses exclusively on music performance and production.
Interested in future programs beyond music? Join the future interest list →
Summer 2026
Limited seats. Some experience in music required.
2026 Program
Performance and production developed together, over ten focused days. Students leave with real development in both, and a clearer sense of who they are as musicians and what they're actually capable of.
This is the founding cohort. The beginning of a network of young Bahamian artists.
Toward Complete Musicianship
Students should come in with some experience in music: instrument, vocals, or production. The program pushes that forward, not from zero.
ApplySerious training, real tools, a real cohort. Without leaving Nassau.
Small cohort. Your work is seen. Your growth is intentional.
Every day builds toward the showcase. No filler. Something real at the end.
The Founder
Christopher Hilton grew up in Nassau with music as part of his life, always working to get better. But it was often frustrating, not always knowing if what he was doing was the right thing, or which direction would actually lead somewhere.
Despite transitioning from electric bass to upright bass only two months before his audition process, he earned admission to one of the world's leading conservatories. He attributes it to the principles, perspective, and environment that surrounded him when it mattered most.
He now studies jazz bass at Oberlin Conservatory under Gerald Cannon, a faculty member at both Oberlin Conservatory and the Juilliard School. Christopher's background spans performance and computer science.
That experience shaped the philosophy behind Island Innovators Bahamas: a higher standard built on discipline, mentorship, and the expectation to deliver real work under pressure. Island Innovators Bahamas was developed during his first year at Oberlin to make that kind of development more accessible, while also creating a space where music and technology are not separate paths, but tools students use to develop, perform, and present work that reflects who they are and the direction they are headed.
The Tribune
"…it's about discovering what you're capable of when you're given the tools and the stage."
For Parents
Hi, I'm Clarity. You can ask me anything about Island Innovators Bahamas.
For direct inquiries, contact us at hello@islandinnovatorsbahamas.com or message us on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok at @islandinnovatorsbahamas ·
If you're ready for both, start here.
Apply for the 2026 Founding CohortPartners & Supporters
We're open to conversations with schools, sponsors, artists, and organizations committed to serious artistic development for young Bahamians.
hello@islandinnovatorsbahamas.com