Cause of death Cancer Role Composer Ethnicity Ukrainian/Rusyn Died 1978 | Citizenship United States Education Juilliard School Name Peter Wilhousky | |
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Occupation Director of music in New York City schools and conductor of the New York All-City High School Chorus Known for English language setting of Carol of the Bells, Arrangement of Battle Hymn of the Republic Similar People Mykola Leontovych, William Steffe, Harry Simeone, Randall Thompson, Alice Parker | ||
Carol of the bells arr peter wilhousky the stairwell carollers
Peter J. Wilhousky (Rusyn: Пітер (Петро) Вільховський) (13 July 1902, Passaic, New Jersey – 1978) was a popular American composer, educator, and choral conductor of Carpatho-Rusyn ethnic extraction. During his childhood he was part of New York's Rusyn Cathedral Boys Choir and gave a performance at the White House to President Woodrow Wilson. He was featured on several broadcasts of classical music with Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra, including the historic 1947 broadcast of Verdi's opera Otello. In 1936, he wrote the popular Christmas carol "Carol of the Bells"; a song with English lyrics to the popular composition by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych originally known as "Shchedryk". His arrangement of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" for chorus, band, and orchestra is probably the most famous arrangement of the hymn before the 1940s in the United States.
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Former students
As a choral director in New York City, he influenced the future careers of musicians such as Julius La Rosa and Stephen Jay Gould.