Elina G. Asato
Hamilton

Professor Elina Hamilton of the Music Department has discovered that many of her students relate more to stories of those who come from the periphery as they understand their own positions as non-central. In the globalized world, it is often the descendants of the colonized who are engaged in creating beautiful, moving and meaningful acts of music making. Thus her teaching includes the core music “canon” and what she terms “contra-colonial” responses to music, working alongside indigenous, Asian American and Pacific Islander colleagues for broader exposure.

Her colleagues view her as “the best of us.” Quantitatively her course evaluations are consistently higher than the department and UHM averages, but the qualitative is where Dr. Hamilton truly stands out. “She is an enthusiastic educator, thoughtful collaborator and passionate innovator in pedagogy.” Her students aspire to become like her: “My respect is incredibly high for Professor Hamilton, I hope to become as enthusiastic and knowledgeable as a teacher.” Her dedication to teaching and the success it engenders is the very model of excellence in teaching.