Peter Wilhousky

Peter Wilhousky (July 13th, 1902-January 4th,1978) was a popular composer and arranger, distinguished educator and eminent choral director. Born to Carpatho-Russian parents in Passaic, NJ, Peter’s love of music began in the choir loft of the city’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Ss. Peter and Paul where his parents sang. Peter was educated at the renowned Russian Cathedral Boys' Choir in New York City, becoming soprano soloist and participating in many cathedral services as well as prestigious concerts, including a command performance before President Woodrow Wilson at the White House. 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.