Ricardo D. Trimillos

Ricardo D. Trimillos is a Professor in Ethnomusicology at the Department of Music, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, with a broad focus on expressive arts in social contexts. He previously served as Chair of Asian Studies at the School of Pacific and Asian Studies and was a Visiting Professor at UCLA in 1994.

He holds a B.A. in Music and English Literature from San Jose State University, an M.A. in Music-Ethnomusicology from the University of Hawai’i (sponsored by the East-West Center), and a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from UCLA (1972). He also studied at Ateneo de Manila (Philippines) and the University of Cologne (Germany).

His research spans Asian performance, Hawaiian music and dance, music of Muslim groups in the Southern Philippines, ethnic identity, arts and public policy, and gender in Pacific and Asian arts. He has acted as a consultant to governments (e.g., the former Soviet Union, Malaysia, Philippines, Hong Kong) and institutions like the Brooklyn Academy of Music and Asia Society, emphasizing cross-cultural implications and the interrelationships of the arts.

His publications explore Asian-American expressive arts, world music in education, Philippine ritual, and Hawaiian music. He is a performer of the Japanese koto, premiering a concerto in 1985, and has directed musical productions like the 1999 Natsu Matsuri at the University of Hawai’i. He has lectured at German universities and contributed to film projects such as Kumu Hula and Ku'u Home.