Ciompi Quartet

This collection is comprised of material about and collected by Dr. Benjamin F. Ward. The material documents Ward's piano performances, as well as his academic positions and faculty service, particularly at Duke University. The collection primarily includes correspondence, performance and event programs, newspaper clippings and articles, and ephemera related to Ward's career and volunteer activities. Also included are a number of published books and piano scores collected by Ward; of particular note are six volumes by Maya Angelou, eached inscribed to Ward and signed by the author.

The collection is made up of materials produced by the Piedmont Chamber Orchestra, a professional affiliate of the North Carolina School of the Arts, from 1969-1983. It contains correspondence with potential tour hosts and sponsors, orchestra members, the Orchestra’s Board of Directors, and the NCSA Foundation. Also included are contracts, program offerings, public relations materials, financial reports, notes and meeting minutes, and tour planning information such as mileage and lodging records.