RBC Royal Bank recently provided sponsorship for the 6th Annual Summer Music Camp & Mentoring Program. RBC has supported the program from its inception. The program's mission is the educational and cultural development of young Bahamian music students. It achieves this goal by incorporating a global approach and providing cost effective methods to expose young persons to a cadre of musical experiences that will further develop their national cultural identity.
Music and arts education play a pivotal role in helping young persons to develop skills necessary for the 21st century workforce - creativity, collaboration and communication.
"RBC is committed to national development through its support of youth development initiatives. As part of this commitment, we support organizations that provide opportunities for young persons to gain in-depth knowledge and skills in music and the arts," said Jan Knowles, RBC manager of public relations and communications. "We are proud to support the 6th Annual Summer Music Camp & Mentoring Program."
The program was launched in 2008 when organizers selected a number of young Bahamian male students to visit the Washington Jazz Arts Institute. For the past five years, the program has operated in tandem with the Washington Jazz Arts Institute, Groovward Publishing, The JWB, 24th Music and other organizations. It has given over 250 Bahamian music students the opportunity to interact with and learn from world class musicians and instructors.
Roscoe Dames, founder/director of the program, said words cannot express what it means to have RBC as a sponsor.
"Without RBC's support, many students would not have the chance to participate in the program and receive the opportunity to experience what professional musicians engage in on a regular basis," he said.
In addition to the musicianship, participants of the Summer Music Camp & Mentoring Program learn about the actual business of music, music management and the intricacies of the music industry. This year, a recording studio was set up on-site for the students to record the music that they created at the camp. Students were also treated to a history lesson on and a demonstration of Bahamian Folk Music (Rake-n-Scrape) by Darrell Hurston and Fred Ferguson.
The 6th Annual Summer Music Camp culminated with a final concert performance held on July 26 at St. Anne's School. The concert was free of charge and open to the public. The concert attracted a large crowd of family, friends and supporters of the young musicians. Students provided stellar performances of music infused with jazz and Bahamian influences.

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