1889-1969; UND Faculty Member in the Department of Music, 1925-1960

Rowland, Hywel C. (1889-1969)

“Hywel C. "Pops" Rowland, 79, 106 Fourth Ave. S., retired longtime head and associate professor emeritus of the department of music at the University of North Dakota, died unexpectedly early Sunday morning at a Minneapolis hospital.

Mr. Rowland had gone to the Twin Cities to attend an opera series and was visiting at the home of a son when suddenly becoming ill.

Mr. Rowland was to have been here Sunday at the commencement exercises at the North Dakota School for the Blind.

Funeral services will be held at 2pm Tuesday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church with Rev. Fredrick T. Gillette officiating.

Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.

A Masonic service will be conducted at 8pm this evening at the Grand Forks Norman Funeral Home by members of the Malta Lodge No. 131 of the AF&AM.

Hywel Cartwright Roland was born July 8, 1889, at Liverpool, England. He attended school at Denbigh, Caernarvon, and Merthye, Tydfill, Wales. He indentured as a law clerk in 1906 at Rhyl, North Wales. Mr. Rowland graduated at the Royal Academy of Music at London in 1915.

He had served in the British military forces for a short time in World War I.

Mr. Rowland married the former Gwladys Muriel Jones on Jan. 24, 1918, at Rhyl. She died on May 10, 1968.

In 1920, Mr. and Mrs. Rowland came to the United States and to Colorado Springs, Colo.

In 1925, Mr. Rowland came to UND and became acting head of the department of music. He was appointed permanent head in 1926 and served in the post until retiring in 1960.

Mr. Rowland was widely praised for his contributions to the refinement of music in North Dakota. He was the founder of the Madrigal Club, a mixed chorus at the University, which toured many of the Midwestern states and Canadian provinces, as well as numerous radio and television appearances.

Mr. Rowland was director of the Ellendale, LaMoure, Oakes and Edgeley Choral Festival for 25 years, the Walsh County Music Festival and Grand Forks County Homemakers Chorus. He was the administrator of the Myra Foundation of Grand Forks music scholarships and was an advisor to the Music Festival Program of the Grand Forks County Superintendent of Schools office. He was a choir director for 13 years at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church here and choir director for 19 years here at the Congregational Church, now the Federated Church.

Mr. Rowland was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon, Blue Key, Lions Club, Bards of the Welsh of Britain, Malta Lodge No. 131 of the AF&AM, a 32^nd degree Scottish Rite Mason; St. Aldemar’s Commandery C.T.; Kem Temple of the Shrine and various music and education associations.

Mr. Rowland had been cited for his contributions to music by the Lions Club, the College of Education at the University, and the North Dakota Board of High Education. He was listed in Who’s Who in the Midwest, Who’s Who in North Dakota and Who’s Who in Music.

Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. James H. (Olwen) Maxwell, Grafton, N.D., and Mrs. Hans (Dilys) Midstokke, Freeport, Ill., and two sons, Trevor, San Jose, Calif., and Robert Rowland, Edina, Minn.”

Source: "H.C. Rowland Dies While on Trip." Grand Forks Herald. 26 May 1969

University of North Dakota - Faculty
University of North Dakota - Music