History

The Composers Forum (CF) was founded in 1995 by graduate composers Edilberto Cuellar, Arnold Friedman, and Joe Spaniola, and undergraduate composers Philip Ducote, Kevin Salfen, and Eliot Schechter. Over the years, Composers Forum members have been actively involved in the promotion of new music and performance art works by organizing events both on and off the UNT campus; assisting in collaborations between composers, performers, artists, film makers, poets, and dancers; and sponsoring competitions for composition students.

Mission

The Composers Forum (CF) strives to represent its membership faithfully and in their best interests. The organization will focus on increasing the visibility of new student works within UNT and extending to regional/state colleges/universities and facilitating professional development opportunities for its members.

The organization coordinates performances of new works by UNT student composers and supports a culture of shared learning. CF celebrates compositional diversity including, but not limited to, instrumental music, electro-acoustic music, film, and intermedia.

Vision

The Composers Forum at the University of North Texas is a student organization devoted to:

  1. Representing the Composer student body on-and-off campus
  2. Bringing new student works to the public’s attention
  3. The early professional development of its Composer members

Composers Forum will be a diverse organization and will foster the spirit of creative innovation/collaboration between composers, performers, and artists of various disciplines throughout and beyond the UNT community.

• Visit the Composers Forum page on OrgSync.
• Join Composers Forum on Facebook or Instagram.
• Download the Composers Forum Constitution.
• Download the Composers Forum Stage Crew Handbook.
• Download the Composers Forum Logos Black | White
 

2023-24 CF Officers

Alvin Leung

President
PakHeiLeung [at] my.unt.edu
alvinleung.com

Patrick Reed

Vice President (Graduate)
PatrickReed2 [at] my.unt.edu
soundcloud.com/patrick-reed-735790585

Michael Casiano

Vice President (Undergraduate)
MichaelCasiano [at] my.unt.edu
michaelcasiano.godaddysites.com

Noah Salem

Records Officer
NoahSalem [at] my.unt.edu

Nolen Liu

Treasurer
NolenLiu [at] my.unt.edu

2023-24 CF Board

JD Fuller

Board Member
JoshuaFuller3 [at] my.unt.edu
braesrecords.com/jd

Nathaniel Gustafson

Board Member
nathanielgustafson [at] my.unt.edu

Jacob Lord

Board Member
JacobLord [at] my.unt.edu

Colin Stokes

Board Member
ColinStokes [at] my.unt.edu
www.colinstokes.com

Izzy Urroz Arena

Board Member

Past Composers Forum Officers & Board Members

Past CF Officers:

1995-96:
• Edilberto Cuellar, chair
• Eliot Schechter, co-chair
• Man-Mei Wu, secretary (fall)
• Rachel Steckler, secretary (spring)
• Arnold Friedman, treasurer

1996-97:
• Joseph Spaniola, chair
• Cliff Jones, co-chair
• Rachel Steckler. secretary
• Arnold Friedman, treasurer

1997-98:
• Joseph Spaniola, chair
• Kevin Salfen, secretary
• Arnold Friedman, treasurer

1998-99:
• Kevin Salfen, chair
• Christopher Tucker, co-chair
• J.T. Rinker, secretary
• Arnold Friedman, treasurer

1999-2000:
• Kevin Salfen, chair

2000-01:
• Edward Munguia, chair
• Nikki D'Agostino, secretary

2001-02:
• Nikki D'Agostino, chair

2002-03:
• Nikki D'Agostino, chair
• Jon Collins, co-chair

2003-04:
• Dan Zajicek, president
• Jessica Leza
• Brent Scheihagen

2004-05:
• Ronnie Garza, president

2005-06:
• Edward Henderson, president
• Gary Knudson, graduate vice president
• Laura Marrero, undergraduate vice president

2006-07:
• Gary Knudson, president
• Jay Walls, graduate vice president
• Chris Polcyn, undergraduate vice president
• Jing Wang

2007-08:
• Gary Knudson, president
• Jay Walls, graduate vice president
• Ethan Hayden, undergraduate vice president
• Ilya Rostovtsev
• Christina Rusnak
• Greg Dixon

2008-09:
• Christina Rusnak, president
• Sarah Summar, graduate vice president
• Nick Kanozik, undergraduate vice president
• Ilya Rostovtsev
• Andrew Miller
• Cody Forrest
• Michael Garman

2009-10:
• Da Jeong Choi, president
• Sarah Summar, graduate vice president
• Nick Kanozik, undergraduate vice president (fall)
• Cody Forrest, undergraduate vice president (spring)

2010-11:
• Joshua Harris, president
• Daniel Bernardo, graduate vice president
• Ryan Pivovar, undergraduate vice president
• Elise Wattman, records officer
• Paul Thomas, treasurer

2011-12:
• Mark Oliveiro, president
• Lisa Bost-Sandberg, graduate vice president
• Amy Golden, undergraduate vice president
• Anna Norris, records officer (fall)
• Ryan Fellhauer, records officer (spring)
• S. Andrew Lloyd, treasurer

2012-13:
• Christopher Walker, president
• Elyse Kahler, graduate vice president
• Ryan Fellhauer, undergraduate vice president
• Daniel Routh, records officer
• Jennifer Hill, treasurer

2013-14:
• Ryan Fellhauer, president
• Brad Robin, graduate vice president
• Jen Hill, undergraduate vice president
• Jacob Denny, records officer
• Jordan Kusel, treasurer

2014-15:
• Jen Hill, president
• Seth Shafer, graduate vice president
• Jordan Kusel, undergrad vice president (fall)
• Michelle Brite, undergrad vice president (spring)
• Joseph Lyszczarz, records officer
• Richard Carrasco, treasurer

2015-16:
• Michelle Brite, president
• Michael Smith, graduate vice president
• Michele Newman, undergrad vice president
• Ryan Ayres, records officer
• Richard Carrasco, treasurer

2016-17:
• Ermir Bejo, president
• Mark Vaughn, graduate vice president
• Michele Newman, undergrad vice president
• Evan Adams, records officer
• Richard Carrasco, treasurer

2017-18:
• Louise Fristensky, president
• Jacob Thiede, graduate vice president
• Evan Adams, undergrad vice president
• Samuel Miyashita, records officer
• Kyle Snow, treasurer

2018-19:
• Alex Buehler, president
• Garrison Gerard, graduate vice president
• Matthew Wiggins, undergrad vice president
• Christopher Poovey, records officer
• Samuel Miyashita, treasurer

2019-20:
• Rachel Lanik Whelan, president
• Kory Reeder, graduate vice president
• Anuj Bhutani, undergrad vice president
• Mattie Tempio, records officer
• Samuel Miyashita, treasurer

2020-21:
• Rachel Lanik Whelan, president
• Kory Reeder, graduate vice president
• Anuj Bhutani, undergrad vice president
• Mattie Tempio, records officer
• J. Andrew Smith, treasurer

2021-22:
• J. Andrew Smith, president
• Marcel Castro-Lima, graduate vice president
• Conner Simmons, undergrad vice president
• Willyn Whiting, records officer
• Varun Raja, treasurer

2022-23:
• J. Andrew Smith, president
• Garrison Gerard, graduate vice president
• Noah Salem, undergrad vice president
• Willyn Whiting, records officer
• Alvin Leung, treasurer

                                                                                                                              

Past CF Board Members:

• Evan Adams
• Michelle Alonso
• Sam Ash
• Ryan Ayres
• Korlyn Bailey
• Ermir Bejo*
• Daniel Bernardo
• Josh Berthume
• Anuj Bhutani
• Jordan Bortner
• Lisa Bost-Sandberg
• Joshua Bradford
• Michelle Brite*
• Steven Bryant
• Alex Buehler*
• Richard Carrasco
• Grant Carrington
• Marcel Castro-Lima
• Da Jeong (Juliana) Choi*
• Austin Clay
• Jon Collins
• Jeffrey Cook
• Erin Costelo
• Beige Cowell
• Lucio Edilberto Cuellar*†
• Nikki D'Agostino*
• Geritt Davenport
• Clayton Davidson
• Jacob Denny
• Greg Dixon
• Philip Ducote†
• Miguel Espinel
• Eric Faires
• Ryan Fellhauer*
• Cody Forrest
• Arnold Friedman†
• Louise Fristensky*
• Michael Garman
• Ronnie Garza*
• Garrison Gerard
• Amy Golden
• Christopher Grow
• Jason Guitierrez
• Joshua Harris*
• Ethan Hayden
• Edward Henderson*
• Jen Hill*
• Yeonsuk Jung
• Elyse Kahler
• Nicholas Kanozik
• Will King
• Gary Knudson*
• Jordan Kusel
• Chris Lamb
• Alvin Pak Hei Leung
• Jessica Leza
• S. Andrew Lloyd
• Joseph Lyszczarz
• Brandon Maahs
• Reagan Maginn
• Todd Markey
• Laura Marrero
• Samuel Melnick
• Andrew Miller
• Mary Mixter
• Sam Miyashita
• Samuel Montgomery
• Edward Paul Munguia*
• Michele Newman
• Anna Norris
• Ryan Pivovar
• Stephanie Plautz
• Chris Polcyn
• Austin Poorbaugh
• Christopher Poovey
• Lizzy Presland
• Heather Pryse
• Patrick Reed
• Kory Reeder
• J.T. Rinker
• Brad Robin
• Kevin Rosacia
• Ilya Rostovtsev
• Daniel Routh
• Christina Rusnak*
• Daniel Sabzghabaei
• Noah Salem
• Kevin Salfen*†
• Gavin Santopetro
• Eliot Theodore Schechter†
• Brent Scheihagen
• Seth Shafer
• Benjamin Shirey
• Connor Simmons
• Austin Simonds
• J. Andrew Smith*
• Michael Smith
• Kyle Snow
• John Snyder
• Alejandro Sosa Carrillo
• Joseph Spaniola*†
• Rachel Steckler†
• Betsy Stelzer
• Sarah Page Summar
• Mattie Tempio
• Jacob Thiede
• Paul Thomas
• Nok Kiu (Nicole) Tse
• Nicolas Useche-Gonzalez
• Mark Vaughn
• Christopher Walker*
• Jay Alan Walls
• Hsiao-Lan Wang
• Jing Wang
• Tyler Waters
• Elise Wattman
• Rachel Whelan*
• Willyn Whiting
• Matthew Wiggins
• Max Windsor
• Hua Xin
• Daniel Zajicek*

       * past president (chair)
       † founding member

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