John Patykula
In 1989, John Patykula (M.M.’82), assistant professor and assistant chair and coordinator of VCUArts’ guitar program, established a scholarship to honor his former teacher and mentor, Jesús Silva.
Silva, who passed away in 1996, was a world-renowned guitar virtuoso. Patykula first met Silva in 1969 while studying at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Before developing the guitar program there, Silva taught at the National Conservatory of Mexico, the University of Mexico and the Brooklyn School of Music. From 1979 to 1982, he was musician artist in residence at VCU.
Patykula followed Silva to VCU — Silva was “a wonderful teacher and a wonderful mentor,” he says. Patykula subsequently earned his Master of Music degree and then was hired full time in the School of Music; he retired in 2023. During his tenure, he founded several instrumental groups on campus, including the VCU Community Guitar Ensemble. He is a published composer and has performed internationally.
Impact
With founding and recurring donations from retired professor John Patykula as well as donations from former students and friends of guitarist Jesús Silva, the merit scholarship named in his honor has supported talented and dedicated guitar students for more than 30 years. The Silva scholarship students perform a recital each year in honor of the fund’s namesake.