Pharel Silaban is an Indonesian lyric operatic tenor and a 2024 Graduate Fellowship recipient from the Asian Cultural Council. Renowned for his artistry and cultural leadership, Pharel was honored by the Kentucky Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters in 2023 for his community contributions and received a nomination for the Indonesia Music Awards for his crossover work, “Dung Sonang Rohangku.”

A trailblazer in Indonesian classical music, Pharel founded Rumah Seriosa, a platform dedicated to fostering vocal excellence and collaboration. In 2024, he organized the first national forum of the Indonesian Classical Singers Network (Temu Sapa), bringing together vocalists to promote dialogue and innovation in classical performance.

Pharel’s operatic repertoire includes leading roles such as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi (Bay View Music Festival 2023), Sam Polk in Susannah (UKOT 2023), Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, and Don Curzio in La Nozze (UKOT 2024) di Figaro by W.A. Mozart. He also created the experimental recital series “Persona,” which merges classical traditions with contemporary storytelling, inspiring the next generation of performers.

Pharel holds a Graduate Diploma from the Royal College of Music and a Master of Music from the Eastman School of Music. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Kentucky under the guidance of Dr. Everett McCorvey.

Pharel’s career reflects his unwavering dedication to bridging innovation and tradition, positioning him as a vital voice in advancing Indonesian classical vocal arts on the global stage.