VCU news

By Leila Ugincius

John Patykula came to Virginia Commonwealth University in 1979 as assistant to its musician artist-in-residence, Jesús Silva. Patykula had previously studied under Silva — himself a protégé of Andrés Segovia, the great Spanish classical guitarist — as an undergrad at the North Carolina School of the Arts.

Silva left in 1982, but Patykula stayed. He earned a master’s degree in music, taught as an adjunct and later full-time instructor — and most notably, he established programs that have become synonymous with VCU. After four decades, the classical guitarist retired this past semester as assistant chair of the guitar program in the VCUarts Department of Music, leaving behind a legacy of musicianship and impact.

Among his proudest accomplishments is the VCU Community Guitar Ensemble, which Patykula started in 1986 and is open to classical guitarists in the Richmond area, including high school students. And in 1992, he used a faculty grant to start the annual Guitar and Other String Series of summer concerts, which feature internationally and nationally known guitarists and string musicians playing everything from folk and jazz to bossa nova and samba.

“We've had some great players, too, that have come through, such as Charlie Byrd, who was a well-known jazz guitarist; Tony Rice, a very famous bluegrass player; and … John Hartford, who wrote ‘Gentle on My Mind,’” Patykula said.

His impact on students is significant, too. Patykula established the Jesús Silva Merit Scholarship, which for three decades has been awarded annually to several guitar students based on potential and demonstrated excellence. The recipients perform a recital each year to honor Silva.

“I always found him to be the most even-tempered, calm member of our faculty. No matter what the crisis, we could count on John to be level-headed and offer perspective — and a good sense of humor.”

Antonio J. Garcia

Antonio J. García, professor emeritus and former director of the Jazz Studies program at VCU, worked with Patykula for two decades and calls him a class act.

“I always found him to be the most even-tempered, calm member of our faculty,” Garcia said. “No matter what the crisis, we could count on John to be level-headed and offer perspective — and a good sense of humor.”

As coordinator of the weekly Music Convocation hour for faculty and students, Patykula spent countless hours backstage at the Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall with Garcia.

“I would be backstage to ensure that the participating jazz students were properly prepared to take the stage,” Garcia said. “He was always present backstage, so I'd say that John has possibly heard more of our students perform — and for a larger cumulative sum of hours — than anyone on the music faculty.”

Patykula’s own musicianship is impressive. In the early 1990s, he and former student John Bullard formed a guitar-banjo duo. They played together for 15 years, performing countless gigs and recording two CDs. Bullard called that time “a continual lesson in musicianship.”

“John had seeded and fostered impeccable musicianship in his students, and he has instilled his legacy stemming from a direct [line] from Andrés Segovia to his teacher, Mr. Silva, and on to many VCU guitar students,” said Bullard, the first student to graduate from VCU with a performance degree in banjo. “This is a priceless gift to many of us and something many are not fully aware of.”

More than that, Patykula was instrumental in Bullard finishing his degree at VCU in 2005 — 20 years after starting it.

“John Bullard started here as a guitar major and then he [became] fascinated with the banjo — but playing classical music on it,” Patykula said. “We didn’t have a banjo teacher and wouldn’t have let him in as just a banjo player,” so Bullard left school.

“I can’t say enough about what a profound influence John [Patykula] has had on my life and my career. He went on to pave the way for me to finish my degree using the banjo.”

John Bullard

After starting a successful career as a musician, Bullard wanted to return to VCU to finish his degree. The music department still had no banjo concentration, but it allowed him back under the guitar track, where Patykula worked with him to complete his degree using the banjo.

“I can’t say enough about what a profound influence John has had on my life and my career,” Bullard said.

He is one of Patykula’s many former students who went on to find success. Others include Leah Kruszewski, Kevin Harding and Adam Larrabee.

After 43 years at VCU, Patykula just feels it’s time to leave, he said. But he won’t be a complete stranger. For one thing, he plans to remain active in the guitar ensemble as well as VCU’s annual Holiday Gala benefiting The Doorways, which provides lodging and support for patients and their loved ones

who need to be close to VCU Medical Center.

For another, “I live two blocks from here – so, no, I won't be missing VCU,” he said with a laugh.