Dr. John Hamilton is a voice instructor at Northwest Nazarene University. He earned his PhD in Music Education with an emphasis in Choral Conducting at Florida State University, an MM in Choral Conducting from California State University and a BMEd from Central Washington University.
Prior to his work in higher education, Dr. Hamilton spent twenty-four years teaching vocal music in Idaho, Colorado and California public schools. Choral ensembles he directed have taken top honors at festivals nationwide and have performed for the International Association of Jazz Educators, state and regional conventions of the National Association for Music Education and regional and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association.
While teaching at the Hamilton High School Academy of Music in L.A., the Vocal Jazz Ensemble won the National Downbeat Award of Downbeat Magazine seven times for the best high school vocal jazz ensemble in the United States. Dr. Hamilton is an active adjudicator and clinician of choral and vocal jazz ensembles at festivals throughout the U.S. and has conducted the Oregon Music Educators Association All-State Vocal Jazz Ensemble.