Dakota Composers

The Dakota Composers was established in Grand Forks, North Dakota in 1984. The group initially called itself the Dakota Young Composers "for the relative age in experience of its members." Nevertheless, some members were older, established area musicians, including University of North Dakota instructor Robert Wharton and pianists Henry Rose and Paul Swenson. The Composers were loosely modeled after the Minnesota Composers Forum, and several of its members had been members of that group. Until disbanding in 1990, the Composers frequently held concerts, meetings, and special sessions with guest composers. Musicians from several areas of North Dakota were members, although UND faculty and students constituted the majority.