Robert Ward, Part I: The man's got some stories.

Should I be impressed or simply depressed?

I was lucky to get to hear Robert Ward speak in Winston-Salem last week when he was interviewed by Maestro Jamie Albritten. Dr. Ward told many incredible stories about the genesis of The Crucible and his years in Winston-Salem. 94 year old people are not supposed to be brighter and wittier than I, a young, sprightly 44 year old. That’s right, you did the math correctly—Dr. Ward is 50 years older than I. He was born during World War I, or should I say the year in which the current season of Downton Abbey is set.

I first heard of Dr. Ward when I was an undergraduate at Duke in the mid-1980’s. The word on the street at that time was that he is a great composer. I was then fortunate to get to see The Crucible performed at Duke, I think in 1986 (to be discussed in an upcoming blog entry).

But I digress. This entry is about Dr. Ward, the storyteller. I first heard Dr. Ward telling stories a few years ago at the 40^th anniversary celebration of the founding of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Sitting on stage in Watson Hall, Dr. Ward was in good voice telling amazing stories about the school in its early days. There’s just something special about listening to someone as lively and interesting as Dr. Ward, someone who has lived so long and so well and who has experienced firsthand the massive changes in the musical landscape over his long life.

I highly encourage everyone to attend any upcoming event associated with the production of The Crucible, especially those featuring Dr. Ward. I will go a step further. You owe it to yourself to hear this icon speak, especially at the “Conversation with the Composer” event on March 17^th at 11 am in the Stevens Center—it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience real American stories from a living composer. He has clarity of thought and a knack for just telling a good story.

So, to answer my original question posed at the top of this blog entry: I’m afraid I find Dr. Ward so impressive that I leave a little depressed. But it’s worth it—I promise!