Dr. John Hamilton is a founder and the Artistic Director of the Treasure Valley Choral Artists. He also serves as a voice instructor at Northwest Nazarene University and maintains his own private voice studio. Dr. Hamilton is also an active adjudicator and clinician of solo singers and choral ensembles of all genres and types and he had the honor of directing the Oregon All State Vocal Jazz ensemble in 2008. He also serves on the faculty of the Treasure Valley Vocal Jazz Camp and has served as the Musical Director for the Alley Repertory Theatre for their recent productions of Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Cabaret.
Dr. Hamilton previously served as a Professor of Music at Boise State University where he directed the University Singers and the Vocal Jazz Ensemble; taught Secondary Choral Methods; and supervised secondary choral music student teachers. Dr. Hamilton holds degrees from the Florida State University (PhD in Music Education, with an emphasis in Choral Conducting), California State University, Los Angeles (Masters in Choral Conducting), and Central Washington University (Bachelors in Music Education).
Prior to his work in higher education Dr. Hamilton taught vocal music in secondary public school settings for twenty-four years in the states of Idaho, Colorado, and California. During his tenure in the public schools, choral ensembles under his direction took top honors at classical and vocal jazz festivals held throughout the United States and accepted invitations to perform for conventions held by many prestigious music organizations including: the International Association of Jazz Educators/Jazz Education Network (2002, 2004, 2008); the National Association for Music Education/National Association for Music Education (1995, 1998, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2009); & the American Choral Director’s Association (2006, 2007, and 2009). While teaching at the Hamilton High School Academy of Music in Los Angeles the Vocal Jazz Ensemble won the National Downbeat Award, presented by
Downbeat Magazine, for the best high school vocal jazz ensemble in the United States, seven times during his tenure.
