Arthur Cunningham (November 11, 1928, Piermont, New York – March 31, 1997, Nyack, New York) was an American composer and educator. His students included singer Kate Davidson, producer/engineer Peter Francovilla, pianist John Ellis, musician and computer programmer Matt Lebofsky, and Berklee Press editor-in-chief Jonathan Feist.
Cunningham began composing music at the age of 12, which he performed with his jazz band. He attended Fisk University (BA, 1951), Juilliard (1951–1952), and Columbia University's Teachers College and received a master’s degree in 1957. In 1951, the National Association of Negro Musicians held a concert of his works. Cunningham served in the United States Army from 1955 to 1957 and composed music for army bands and television.[citation needed]
Between 1963 and 1973, Cunningham wrote seven large-scale stage works in popular genres such as jazz, gospel, and rock. Some of his compositions resemble what would become the rock opera genre.[citation needed]
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