About
Dr. Ty Chiko
Originally from the Islands of The Bahamas, Dr. Ty Chiko has been an international performance artist, visual artist, entrepreneur, and disability advocate for over two decades. He has received national recognition from the U.S. Embassy in The Bahamas, along with the Bahamas Independence Committee, and is listed as one of the country's Top 40 Under 40.
Music Education & Advocacy
Teaching, and using art as a tool for change
Ty previously served as the Director of Vocal Music at Interlochen Center for the Arts, where he used his skills to help young musicians foster their own love for the arts.
As someone who is passionate about Social Justice, Ty leverages the power of music and art as tools for advocacy and social change, focusing on promoting inclusivity, accessibility, and equity for people with disabilities, youth, and older adults.
His writings on Disability Inclusivity have been published in the Oregon Humanities and in an Open Access Resource for Music Educators in partnership with Bowling Green State University College of Music.
Research & Community
Building accessible spaces for the arts
Ty's advocacy work also shows up through additional research and community engagement initiatives. He served as the inaugural Musician-in-Residence Coordinator at Mirabella at ASU Senior Living Community. The program has won awards for innovation from both the Mather Institute and Leadingage Arizona. Ty volunteered as a lead camp counselor for the Amputee Coalition of America Paddy Rossbach Summer Youth Camp. His current research is titled "Cultivating Inclusivity: Exploring How Universities, Performing Arts Institutions, Disability Advocacy Groups, and the Wider Community Can Develop Accessible Theater Spaces for People Living with Disabilities."
As a Vocalist
On stages across the world
As a vocalist, Ty has appeared as the soloist in The Magnificent Pretty Boy, a work commissioned by the Houston Grand Opera with the Grant Wallace Band, Mahler's Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen, at Frank Lloyd Wright's Gammage Auditorium, The New Mexico Film Festival, Leonard Bernstein's Centennial at The Academy for the Love of Learning led by mentee of Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Stern, Adventures in the Arts National Organization (Bahamas), and the Bahamas National Youth Choir. As a former member of the Bahamas National Youth Choir, he performed across the United States, U.K., Europe, and South Africa.
Recognition & Media
Press, honors, and collaborations
Ty has also appeared on albums, recordings, news stations, magazines, and podcasts, including collaborations with State Farm and The Players Tribune, National Public Radio (NPR), Amplitude Magazine, StyleZine Magazine (Bahamas), Jumpin' Jacob (short film), "Gratitude" album by renowned conductor and composer, Brian Demaris, "Malted" podcast through Columbia University, and the new work Se Levanta by composer Raquel Acevedo Klein.
In 2023, Ty was the Music Director for Portland Center Stage's production of Hair in Portland, Oregon, which received rave reviews from Broadway World, Willamette Week, Oregon ArtsWatch, and Portland Mercury.
In 2021, Chiko competed as a finalist in the renowned Lotte Lenya Competition through the Kurt Weill Foundation in New York City. He was also awarded first prizes in the Arizona State University Concerto Competition and Vocal Artistry Song Competition.