Arthur Carchedi

9/28/24-4/1/19

Arthur (Arturo) Carchedi, age 94, of Silver Spring, MD, passed away peacefully in the presence of family on Monday April 1, 2019. Born on September 28, 1924 in Utica, NY, Art was the second oldest of four sons of Francesco and Rosina (DiRenzo) Carchedi. The family moved to Washington, D.C. in 1930, a year before Art’s youngest brother, Albert (Bitz), was born. Starting the piano in childhood, Art became proficient at a young age. His father took him to answer an ad asking for a piano player when he was only 14 years old. Art might have gotten the job, except he did not know how to shuck oysters. At age 16, he played for dances in bands at Chesapeake Beach and North Beach, MD. Art also learned how to play the trumpet by accompanying his brother, Alfred (Babe), to his trumpet lessons. Learning how to play a horn would help him later in life.

Drafted into the Army Air Force in 1943, Art qualified for the 569th Air Force Band in Tampa, FL by agreeing to play the French horn, even though he had never played it before. Drawing on his past trumpet experience, he quickly picked it up and played the French horn with the concert band. He played piano with the dance band during his time in service, getting discharged in 1946. Art put a down payment on his first house in South East, Washington, D.C. in 1946, and used the GI bill to pursue a bachelor’s degree in music from Catholic University. He studied with Emerson Meyers and was a classmate of Don Shirley, but more importantly, he met his future wife, Erma Viola Brown, in harmony class.

Art and Erma married in September of 1950, only a few months after he graduated from Catholic University. They were married for over 68 years and had five children during that time. In the early years of his career, Art played piano at nightclubs, hotels, and country clubs. He was also on both the Mark Evans and Jim Gibbons TV shows. His son, Steven Arthur, and daughter, Regina (Gina) Lillian, were born in 1951 and 1954, respectively. The family of four moved in 1955 to what is still Art and Erma’s current house in Silver Spring, MD.

Available work for a professional musician can be unpredictable, and Art had a family to support; hence, in 1955, he started teaching band and orchestra in the Prince George’s County public schools, eventually obtaining a Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Maryland in 1964. During this time, he and Erma would welcome their third child, Francis (Frank) Anthony, in 1957, and their fourth, Donna Lucia, in 1962. The family spent quality time at Bethany Beach, DE and in Thurmont, MD.

To support his growing family, Art worked during the day as a teacher, and then, after a few hours at home with his family, would leave wearing a tuxedo prepared to play the accordion or piano as part of a band. Weekends were equally busy. However, he and Erma did have time for one more daughter, Lisa Rosina, in 1969, 18 years after their first child. Essentially, their children were simultaneously in college, high school, junior high, elementary school and diapers. The children were fortunate to have Erma as a stay-at-home mom since Art would go out to work.

Art maintained this pace until he retired from the Prince George’s County school system in 1983, after which he would usually only work one ‘gig’ per day, several days per week. Eventually, he only worked one ‘gig’ per week, spending more time with his wife, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. The University Club of Washington, D.C. hired Art in the mid-70’s to play piano in the Taft dining room. He played there for a total of 43 years, retiring due to medical reasons six weeks before he died.

Even with his busy schedule, Art was home for Erma’s home-cooked family dinners, and encouraged a love of music in all his children. Time spent with family in the summers at Bethany Beach, DE was always without phones, television, or interruptions from work. Art taught his children the value of hard work and importance of family.

Art is survived by his wife, Erma Viola (Brown), and children, Steven (Carol), Gina Warsaw (Lewis), Frank (Julie Sorenson), Donna Guarino (Angelo), and Lisa, all in Maryland. He is survived by 13 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren, one in each group being his namesake. He is also survived by his brother, Albert (Bitz) Carchedi (Sherry Stephenson), of Herndon, VA. Art was preceded in death by his older brother, Anthony, of Washington, D.C. in 1960, his brother, Alfred (Babe), of Silver Spring, MD in 2015, and his son-in-law, Dr. Charles Chitwood (Lisa), in 2018.

Visitation at the Hines Rinaldi Funeral Home on New Hampshire Ave from 6-8pm Fri. 4/19 and 930am Sat. 4/20. Service at 1030am 4/20 at the same location. Entombment at Gate of Heaven cemetery.

Donations can be made to the American Lung Association in memory of Art Carchedi at

https://action.lung.org/site/Donation2?df_id=1360&1360.donation=form1

Read more about the life and times of Arthur Carchedi in this April 2018 Washingtonian article: https://www.washingtonian.com/2018/04/12/93-year-old-pianist-art-carchedi-backed-edith-piaf-almost-got-shot/