Musichorale your chicagoland community choir tribute to art silhan

Arthur "Art" Silhan, 79, a husband, father, grandfather, and teacher passed away on August 16, 2004.

Art is best known for founding Musichorale, your Chicagoland Community Choir. He started the group in 1947 while trying to keep his high school choir together after graduation. He stayed on as director until 1980 when he handed the baton to his son Jeff. Art was always happy to put on his tuxedo and direct a few favorite numbers at the Spring and Winter concerts. Musichorale was the love of his life. He was the backbone behind it at all times. Every facet of his life was geared around music.

Art was born and raised in Chicago's West Lawn community and started singing at an early age. After graduating from Lindbloom High School, he earned a degree in education from the Chicago's Teacher's College.

By day, he taught music in the Chicago public schools, primarily at McKay Elementary school in Marquette Park and Hale Elementary school in Clearing. Evenings were spent with the Chicago Lyric Opera Chorus, where Art sang as a lyric tenor for 32 years.

He directed church choirs of many denominations including St. Bede's Catholic Church, Green Oaks Reformed Church, Calvary Lutheran, and Lutheran Church of the Cross.

In 1949, Art married Phyllis Ballin, a piano player and composer. The couple had two sons, Jeff and Marc, and two daughters, Cynthia and Shane.

Described as a real stickler for tradition and precision, Art began his concerts at 20 past the hour. In an uncanny coincidence, he died at 2:20 p.m. Accordingly, his memorial service began at 10:20 a.m. on August 21, 2004 with a selection of sacred music sung by 100 current and past members of Musichorale.

The man who donated more than 25 gallons of blood in his lifetime decided to leave his body to the Anatomical Gift Association to be used for medical research.

Art was my dad. Everyone likes to tell stories about my dad that poke fun - how his wardrobe was funny, or his practical jokes were not. We all know dad was eccentric, but underneath those crazy shirts was the absolute nicest, most caring man there ever was. Case in point:

Everyone knows that Art collected food at Christmas and delivered it to needy families. He encouraged (hounded?) people to donate, and then would deliver baskets of food to 20-25 families. He got the list of needy families from the Back of the Yards Council. I'd help him deliver the baskets each year. Often, we would go to the same houses year after year, but there were always new families too. Dad had no favorites or biases. He never sought any glory or attention. When people would ask Who donated this food?", dad told us to always reply, "Just friends, Merry Christmas." So it was supposed to be anonymous, but somehow over the years, it probably leaked out to some of the needy families who the man was behind the Christmas food baskets.

One year we had made all our deliveries and didn't get back home until late. We walked in the door and the phone rang. Dad picked it up and the caller yelled "Where's my basket?" Dad explained that he had delivered all his baskets using the list of names he had received. But the lady was still upset and insisted that she had received a basket every year, and she felt she deserved on this year. She yelled again "I want a basket!"

Now think for a moment how you would have reacted to such a call. I know I would have cussed her out, hung up, and went to bed. Not dad. He sent me to the basement to get a cardboard box while he went through our kitchen shelves and pulled out cans and jars and boxes. We filled the box and went back out and gave the lady "her" basket of food. I don't think she even said thank you or Merry Christmas.

I wasn't at all happy about having to go back out. I was sulking in the car. I asked dad why would he do this for a crabby, ungrateful, ornery lady. He replied simply "Because she needs it, and we can."

"Art had such a passion for music. It was infectious and that is one "disease" I was glad to catch. He will be a part of my memory and will be a song in my heart forever."

The stories of Gramp Art teaching at all the different schools in Chicago, singing, and just being himself really gives me and my family great comfort in knowing that he touched so many lives. He was a character! I don't know too many grandfathers with long hair and a red convertible with racing stripes. He will always be remembered!

From Fr. Andy Pavlak, OP
Associate Pastor
Aquinas Newman Center at the University of New Mexico

To talk about Art Silhan one needs to first think of someone who is very passionate about absolutely everything he does. God, family, friends, country, concern for others and love all get wrapped in a symphony of the most beautiful music to be a reflection on Art's life.

The effect Art Silhan had on so many of his students, friends, fellow singers and dreamers is no small thing that can be encapsulated in a few paragraphs. Memories of concerts, laughs, pranks, lost weekends in resorts all over the Midwest, more laughs, more singing, rides in the old maroon Cadillac (of course with the top down -- even in the winter) and long talks over workouts in his basement are just some of the things that come to mind when this man's name is mentioned. Art was not just a friend or mentor to many. He was a musical father-figure who "turned-on" literally hundreds of people to a love of music that, at times, would border on the obsessive. Christmas seasons were not successful unless there were appearances four out of seven nights each week from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Then there were the great Christmas Eve celebrations at the Silhan home. Walking into the magical wonderland of a home decorated from stem to stern and visiting with people from all aspects of the Silhan family connections bring back many wonderful holiday memories.

A real and palpable void was realized when Art went home to God in August. This Christmas season is a bit less colorful because of his absence. Then again, because of his incredible faith life, and the great faith of his wonderful wife and dear friend Phyllis, Art's legacy lives on in the many hearts that continue to burn with a passionate fire for music and all things beautiful. Jesus, St. Peter and many friends and family members that have gone before us were certainly there waiting at the "pearly gates" when Art made his grand entrance. We can only imagine the wonderful music Art is making now that we have another very special angel in heaven.