For those who missed his introduction in chapel the first week of the semester, Dr. Jetro Silva is Houghton’s new Professor of Music Industry and Director of Technical Arts. A native of Rio de Janeiro, Dr. Silva was raised in a Southern Baptist community, and started working with his church choir at the age of 7, at the encouragement of his uncle. He attributes his connection to the “Christian family” to his love of music, which has allowed him to relate with believers across denominations. Despite being from Brazil, Dr Silva considers himself an American as he moved here in his early twenties, when he completed a B.M. from Berklee College of Music. He later did his masters at Andover Newton Theological School, to better lead his home group that had grown into its own congregation.
Dr Silva’s favorite color is purple, and coincidentally his favorite novel is The Color Purple. He spoke of his affection for African American literature, saying “There’s something about being able to see myself culturally and physically in what I’m reading, that means a lot to me.” Cape Verde holds a special place in his heart, as the place was a major stop on the Portuguese slave trade to Brazil and holds a cultural significance for him.
Dr Silva’s career consisted of working a myriad of jobs such as Sound Engineer, Sound Designer, Programmer, Keyboardist, Worship Leader, both for well-known names like Whitney Houston as well churches around the US in Mississippi, California, and Rhode Island. Senior Derek Chase noted that “I think he has a ton of knowledge and I love just listening to him talk because it’s kinda like I just learn so much from his experience and life.”
Dr Silva already speaks favorably of his experience at Houghton. “I love the students,” he said, “the students are very, very very special, they are brilliant and they are passionate.” He was drawn to Houghton because of “the potential to build something,” specifically with the Music Industry program. Derek Chase adds that “I think he has really good ideas that are going to help the program start to become great again.”
“I want to establish my style of teaching, which is a combination of foundational theory and hands on,” Dr Silva said. His ideal Music Industry program would include his classes working with other classes in the Music building as well as establishing a firm understanding of how the music business works. He hopes that a student, after completing the program, will “still be an artist, but with a wealth of information on technology, application of production techniques, and be able to be an artist of their own with the music business knowledge, and that way they can go into the music industry and successfully survive.”
His theological background provides a valuable foundation for his work. He says “it is my hope that the music we do triggers the ear of the seer to hear from God and speak to the people the world salvation.” Genre, style, instrument is not as important as the intention behind the music created. Dr Silva ended the interview with a reference to John 4:23: “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”