Mr. Ward was named the 2020 George Mason University College for Visual and Performing Arts Presidential Scholarship, a full scholarship and research assistantship to pursue the Ph.D. Music Education.  He was also recently honored with the East Carolina University FortyUnder40 Leadership Award. In November 2021, he will present research on perceived cultural competencies of music teachers at Virginia Music Educators' Association annual conference.

Mr. Ward currently serves as Music Director of Washington Metropolitan Concert Orchestra and is past orchestra director at Springfield Estates, Garfield, and Bucknell Elementary Schools in Fairfax County Public Schools. Ward has served on the faculty of Levine School of Music, GMU Potomac Arts Academy, and Opus Community Music School. He has also taught at summer programs including East Carolina Summer Chamber Music Institute, North Carolina Suzuki Institute, Levine Summer Music Camp, and Vienna Summer Strings. Mr. Ward has been a guest clinician with Arlington Philharmonic Crescendo Chamber Music Program, Washington Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, Pitt County Schools (NC), Alexandria City Schools (VA), and Loudon County Schools (VA). He has recently served as an adjudicator for the Progressive Musicians International Solo Competition, Maryland Junior and Senior All-State Orchestras, and Northern Virginia Music Teachers' Association Concerto Competition.

In December 2017, Mr. Ward gave the U.S. premiere of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Sussex Folk Tunes for Cello and Orchestra with Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic. He has appeared as solo cellist with Stevie Wonder, Barry Manilow, East Carolina Symphony, Hartsville Civic Chorale, Greenville Choral Society, and at Kennedy Center Millenium Stage. He has also performed with ECU Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival Next Gen Series, Cellospeak 16 Cellos Ensemble, Alexandria Symphony, Long Bay Symphony, Fayetteville Symphony, American Festival Pops Orchestra, and Levine String Quartet.

Mr. Ward has held fellowships at Mannes Beethoven Institute (NYC), School for Strings (NYC), Portland String Quartet Workshop (ME), Garth Newel Music Center (VA), and Summertrios Festival (NY). He has participated in master classes with Timothy Eddy, Colin Carr, Paul Katz, Amit Peled, James Ehnes, Jeremy Denk, and members of the Cleveland, Brentano, Borromeo, Daedalus, Cassatt, and Cooperstown String Quartets.