Wise, Arthur, 1906-1973

Arthur Wise (1906-1973) was an American conductor, educator, and historian. Wise's career as a teacher spanned 35 years, during which time he served as band director at high schools in Lisbon, Ohio, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1947, he organized the Columbiana County (Ohio) Symphony Orchestra. Wise was also a prolific arranger, although only a handful of his works were ever published. A Civil War buff as well, he published two collaborative books with Francis A. Lord on subjects related to the war.

Born 17 December 1906, Arthur M. Wise studied cornet with Ross Hickernell at the Dana Musical Institute (now part of Youngstown University), earning a B.M. in 1929 and a M.M. in 1940. A teacher for over 35 years, Wise was band director at Lisbon H.S. in Lisbon, Ohio, and Lincoln High School in Philadelphia.

In 1947, Wise organized the Columbiana County (Ohio) Symphony Orchestra. The following summer, he attended the Berkshire Music Festival at Tanglewood, where he studied conducting with Bernstein, Copland, Koussevitsky, and others. In 1958, Wise was selected to play string bass in the Fourth All-American Bandmasters' Band, organized for the Mid-West National Band Clinic.

As an avid Civil War scholar he published, with the collaboration of Francis A. Lord, two books on the topic, Bands and Drummer Boys of the Civil War (New York: T. Yoseloff, 1966) and Uniforms of the Civil War (South Brunswick: T. Yoseloff, 1970). Wise moved with his wife to Phoenix in 1965 for health reasons. Soon after, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

Wise was extremely active as an arranger, though only a handful of his works were ever published. Wise also left behind a manuscript about the history of the Willow Grove Park Band Concerts upon his death in 1973 in Arizona. It was never published.