David A. Tidyman

David Tidyman Obituary

Name: Visitation for David A. Tidyman
Start: 2025-08-13T09:00:00.000Z
End: 2025-08-13T10:00:00.000Z
Location: St. Mel Church

DAVID A. TIDYMAN, age 73. Beloved son of the late Robert and Marie (nee Cantrelle); loving brother of Robert Jr. (deceased), Paul (Pam), Kathryn Steenblik (Jan), John (deceased) (Anna), James and Richard Tidyman; dear uncle and great-uncle. Passed away August 4, 2025. David Tidyman has been a significant presence in Cleveland liturgical music for over 45 years as organist, harpsichordist and choral conductor. He made his Cleveland Museum of Art debut in 1983 and has performed throughout the eastern U.S. and Italy on both harpsichord and organ. He was Music Director at Parma Lutheran and Rocky River Presbyterian early in his career. He was appointed Director of Music at St. Angela Merici Parish (Fairview Park) in 1995 and served there until retirement. For several years afterward, he served at St. Mel Parish in Cleveland, a position he loved heartily and then retired two years ago. Funeral mass at St. Mel Church, 14436 Triskett Rd., Wednesday, August 13th at 10 a.m. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery. Friends may call in the church Wednesday from 9 a.m. to the time of the mass.

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Published by Cleveland.com from Aug. 7 to Aug. 10, 2025.

Memories and Condolences
for David Tidyman

Sponsored by The Family.

11 Entries

Erik

August 19, 2025

I'm glad our paths crossed in this life, David.

Hope to catch you in the next one.

Richard S. Tidyman

August 15, 2025

It does my heart good to read so many lovely and loving thoughts from friends of David. He was 2 years older. We struggled as kids; with each other, for attention, who's turn to do the dishes, and me having to wake him up. He would sleep through ice water poured on his back. We rode bikes, went swimming and hung out until he decided to pour his life into music. My interests were elsewhere.

The last time we hung out as kids, adolescents actually, was the day my dad died at home. Dad willed his body to Case Western Reserve Medical School. After they retrieved the body, mom gave us money for a cab to go to Manner's, home of the Big Boy for breakfast. The cabby was a little shaken when we answered his question "Why aren't you boys in school today?" One of us said "Our dad died this a.m. We are taking the day off." He didn't say much the rest of the ride.
For the next 45 years, we hardly spoke. I was in NC teaching school, married and a daughter, so travel didn't happen often. David was busy with his life as well.
In 2021, I went to Cleveland to see friends and John and David. Both survived cancer treatment but neither was healthy. David and I talk for close to two hours, reminiscing about our childhood, sharing our own version of the story. It was the first chance, with time on our hands, to share with him details of my life that I never shared with him. I just never had the chance to sit and talk like that. He even remarked how amazing it was that we were enjoying the time talking even after two hours.

When it was time to go, I cried on his shoulder, admitting it felt like it might be the last time I saw him. It wasn't though. I saw him at John's memorial service.

Despite the different paths we chose, our childhoods and genetics bound us to one another. Unintentionally, I learned a lot from him, about music, and about life. He celebration of life was so rich and full, thanks to his many friends that love him over the years.

Mary Gabriel

August 13, 2025

Good bye David. I'll miss you. Starbucks hasn't been the same.

With Love, The Gabriel's

Planted Trees

Bernadette Cardwell

August 11, 2025

I am so sorry and sad. David and I spent our college years as friends. His love of music and his church families ment the world to him. He was an inspiration and loved dearly

Debbie O´Malley

August 10, 2025

I´m so sorry to see this! David was such a musical talent and I really enjoyed working with him at St. Angela´s on all different kinds of Masses. God bless him and his family. May his memory help ease the grief of all who loved him.

JoAnn Peluso

August 10, 2025

I knew David when teaching at St. Angela's and became friends. I appreciated his sense of humor when planning class masses and our family was blessed to have him play at our daughters 's weddings. Rest in peace my friend.

Carole Iseli

August 9, 2025

It was an honor to know David for many, many years, first as our choir director at St. Angela Merici, but more importantly as a valued friend with whom I walked through good times and not so good times. My heartfelt condolences to David's family, to R.V., and to all who knew and loved him. May the choirs of angels receive him.

Geoffrey Peterson

August 8, 2025

I met David in 1993. At the time, we were both teaching at the Riverside Academy of Music in Lakewood, and we became fast friends. As a young composer in my early twenties, David was so encouraging and kind. Among the many things he shared with me was how to compose for the harpsichord, as well as introducing me to some of the extraordinary repertoire written for it, particularly the French baroque music of Couperin, Rameau, and Royer.

David was a consummate and exceptionally gifted musician, with a sharp intellect. He was uncompromising and aspired to create art of the highest order. It takes courage, strength, and humility, to forge your own path in the rarefied world of classical music. It is easy to follow the herd, but that was never David´s belief or approach. I have known very few musicians with the fortitude, humbleness, and vulnerability to express what is genuine and true within them, regardless of praise or criticism. David embodied all of these qualities.

Leonard Bernstein once said, "The key to the mystery of a great artist is that for reasons unknown, he will give away his energies and his life just to make sure that one note follows another... and leaves us with the feeling that something is right in the world." David gave us a glimpse into that mystery.

I love you, David. I will miss you terribly.

Terry Novak

August 8, 2025

God rest David. He made a big contribution to the liturgical music area in and around Cleveland and the world. He will be missed. God bless the Tidyman family.

Christopher Hathaway

August 7, 2025

David was a very dear friend for over fifty years. We were both organ students at The University of North Texas (then known as North Texas State University) when we met in January 1973. His playing was unusually free, at once lyrical and dramatic, with a wonderfully intuitive grasp of musical line and structure. It wasn´t what one would expect from a typical university or Conservatory organ student. We kept in touch after going our separate ways, but never saw each other face to face (for 47 years!) until I came to Cleveland in 2022. He still had his remarkable musical insight, which I always treasured. David was a true friend with whom I could always be totally honest. I am going to miss him quite a lot.

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