Dr. Peter J. McCarthy's Obituary
Dr. Peter J. McCarthy, 79, of Albany, NY, passed away with his daughter by his side on November 12, 2017 in Leesburg, VA. Dr. McCarthy was born on February 24, 1938 in Albany, NY to the late Donald and Janet McCarthy. Following graduation from Christian Brothers Academy (CBA), he joined the Marine Corps and was promoted to Sergeant in the First Marine Aircraft Wing, stationed in Iwakuni, Japan and Treasure Island, CA. Peter attended Potsdam Crane School of Music and was a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC where he earned his doctorate in musicology. He received a prestigious Rockefeller Foundation grant to study choral conducting. Throughout his career, Dr. McCarthy studied with conductor-composer Virgil Thomson, Helmut Rilling, the legendary Nadia Boulanger, Otto Werner-Mueller, and Ifor Jones, former conductor of the Bethlehem Bach Choir. In August 1988, at the invitation of the Salzburg Music Festival, Austria, Dr. McCarthy conducted Bruckner's "Mass in E Minor" in the Salzburg Cathedral. Jubilieren, a choral ensemble based in Newark, DE under Dr. McCarthy’s direction, performed Beethoven’s “Ninth Symphony” at Carnegie Hall in May 1996. Peter was a certified choir master of the American Guild of Organists. Dr. McCarthy was named Professor Emeritus after 26 years of service as Professor of Music at the University of Delaware. Peter was a co-founder of the Delaware Singers and the Brandywine Singers. In addition to his musical expertise, he was a Master Gardener of Delaware, had his private pilot’s license, and had an encyclopedic knowledge of innumerable subjects. Most will remember (and miss) his captivating charm, and his brilliant, quick wit.
Dr. McCarthy is predeceased by a brother, Thomas E. McCarthy, III.
Dr. McCarthy is survived and adored by his daughter, Dr. Anne Stewart, his son-in-law Dr. David Stewart, and 3 grandchildren: Abigail, Baker, and Benjamin (Round Hill, VA); his brothers, Kevin and Mary Armao McCarthy (Loudonville, NY) and Donald F. McCarthy, Jr (Albany, NY), his sister, Janet and Jim Kurposka (Voorheesville, NY), five nieces and a nephew. He had an enormous impact on all who were blessed to know him; and he remained lifelong friends with many including Jack McCartney and his bunk, Bill Denyer.
A memorial mass will be celebrated at Christ the King Church, 20 Sumpter Avenue, Albany, NY on Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 10:00am.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Ride-on-Ranch, LLC (www.rideonranch.org/donate), a non-profit therapeutic riding organization that provides therapy for Dr. McCarthy’s grandson with hemiplegia and epilepsy.
The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the nursing and administrative staff members of Spring Arbor and Heritage Hall, both of Leesburg, VA and INOVA Loudoun Hospital for their tender and compassionate care.
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