Death of Mary B. Ward, Spouse of Composer Robert Ward
Durham, NC: Mary B. Ward, 91, died Saturday, August 12, 2006, at Duke Hospital. Born in Norwich, N.Y., Mrs. Ward was a graduate of Keuka College. She taught English and Drama in Port Leyden, Webster and Riverhead, Long Island, N.Y., and joined the American Red Cross as a Recreation Worker in 1942; she was among the first group to be sent to Hawaii. There she met and married Robert Ward who commanded the Seventh Division Band. When the Division left for the campaign to retake the Philippines, she returned to Florida where she gave birth to Melinda, their first child. At the end of the war they were reunited with Robert and they returned to New York City briefly and then to Nyack, N.Y. In 1967 they moved to Winston-Salem, where her husband became President of the School of the Arts. In 1979 they moved to Duke University in Durham. Wherever they lived, Mary became active in social activities and arts organizations.
As a writer, she was collaborator with her composer/husband in the texts for his major choral works, Sweet Freedoms Song and Canticles of America.
Mrs. Ward is survived by her husband of 62 years, Robert, and their children: Melinda Ward and her daughters, Julie and Amy; Jonathon and Beth Ward, daughter Elizabeth and sons Nathaniel and Caleb; Mark and Anya Ward and their son, Nicholas and daughter Katherine; Rev. Earl Crecelius and Johanna and their son Samuel and daughter Melinda; and Timothy and Mary Lou Ward-Vetrano and their daughters, Gianna and Sophia.
As a memorial to Mrs.Ward’s happy associations with talented young artists, please make any contributions to the NC School of the Arts’ Scholarship Fund, 1533 S. Main St., P.O. Box 12189 Winston-Salem, NC 27117-2189.
Arrangements by the Cremation Society of the Carolinas, Raleigh.
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NC’s Performing Arts Review Platform Plans Expansion
Classical Voice of NC Adds Editor, Increases Staff
Raleigh, NC, August 20, 2006: Classical Voice of North Carolina, Inc., our state’s performing arts journal, online at https://www.cvnc.org/, plans a major expansion on September 1 when critic, guitarist, and educator Roger A. Cope of Hendersonville becomes the non-profit organization’s Editor. Concurrently, John W. Lambert of Raleigh is being named Executive Editor.
CVNC was established in July 2001 by music critics who had long written for Triangle A&E papers. Elizabeth Kahn was the fledgling group’s webmistress, and Lambert coordinated calendar services and reviews. The group, emulating the success of San Francisco Classical Voice, took an entirely new approach to providing serious coverage of the performing arts in North Carolina. A recent first-time contributor called CVNC “a fascinating and inspiring guide in our quest of a greater appreciation, understanding and enjoyment of classical music…, an art form that we might well have otherwise overlooked….”
In the fiscal year completed on June 30, CVNC published 459 reviews of classical music, dance, opera, and theatrical performances. Coverage of selected out-of-state events plus previews, news, and feature articles brought the publications total to 588 items.
In addition, CVNC publishes the most extensive and detailed performing arts calendars available in our state; events are listed at no cost to presenters, as a service to the readers and the arts community. The journal’s work makes it possible for some 150 performing arts organizations throughout the state to get regular publicity for their performances, classes, and auditions. In the last six months of FY 2005-6, calendar items topped 1,500 listings, including significant broadcasts/webcasts of live performances.
Readership has continued to expand, increasing by 25% in 2005-6 and averaging at the end of the FY 40,986 visits per month (or 449,345 “hits”).
Support for CVNC comes in the form of grants from various arts agencies and from individuals. The journal invites your support as it continues to grow, serving the arts in North Carolina. Contributions are tax-deductible. For more information, please email cvnc1@earthlink.net.
(Posted 8/21/06)
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