HOUSTON, TX. – Music is a melodic thread that weaves together Aryn Ward’s life and family. Originally from Sapulpa, Ward is a Mvskoke citizen who always seems to have an instrument in her hand. She plays many, including c flute, cedar flute, piano, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone as well as bass drum and snare drum. Ward’s husband is a band director, the two share four children who all play a musical instrument. Recently at a classroom performance at Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts Middle School (MPVA), Ward and her daughter Jaycie shared their musical talent and Mvskoke culture by performing in a trio. The trio performed a piece recorded over one hundred years ago.
Ward is a music major at Houston Christian University pursuing a bachelor’s degree. When tasked with researching a topic for a research paper, Ward came across the Ceremonial songs of the Creek and Yuchi Indians by Frank G. Speck in the Library of Congress. An arrangement that stuck out to her was Fùtco, a Mvskoke ceremonial dance song originally recorded in 1911. According to Ward, the piece had never been recorded on instruments until 2025.
“I choose this piece to explore the effect of cultural genocide on the Muscogee Nation’s music,” Ward said. “I was surprised that it even existed. I wanted to compose something that would bring the song back to life over a century later. That was my intention to have the songs heard in a way that freed the compositions from a dusty old book.”
When it comes to composing pieces for wind instruments, Ward keeps culture in mind. She noted that she wants to bring Indigenous arrangements back to the table because it is music that most people have not heard before. When Ward and Jaycie performed their piece at MPVA, they also had the opportunity to share about the Mvskoke culture, and what it means to be a dual citizen of a sovereign nation. Ward and Jaycie also took the opportunity to wear their ribbon skirts as well as bone and dentalium shells. Feedback from students revealed an attentive response to learning about other cultures.
Another piece of culture Ward brought to share with students was a turtle shell rattle. According to Ward, the students were somewhat frightened by it. Hand-drawn illustrations of a turtle shell rattle are found in the Ceremonial songs of the Creek and Yuchi Indians book. For Ward, she found it exciting to share an object in person that was found as an illustration in a book published over a century ago.
Ward’s Musical Career
Originally from Sapulpa, Ward began playing percussion instruments in elementary school. She played in the marching band, performing on the drumline. She went on to earn a communications degree, and works as a photographer and videographer. Ward cites some of her music inspirations as Yakima bassoonist Dr. Jacqueline Wilson, Diné composer Raven Chacon and Diné pianist Connor Chee.
Most recently Ward was invited to perform an improv duet in the They, Who Sound Concert Series with White Mountain Apache musician Laura Ortman at the Lawndale Art Center in downtown Houston. Known for her compositions and collaborations, Ortman is a classical musician who plays the Apache violin. The concert series was hosted by Nameless Sound, an arts education organization whose mission is to explore new methods in sound and provide music to their community.
During this past year’s Native American Heritage Month Ward performed the fish dance for Parker Elementary School. Ward’s cedar flute was hand crafted by Mvskoke flute maker William Harjo.
“I called him and he went and cut down a cedar branch for me,” Ward said. “That (the cedar flute) was fun to play.”
Ceremonial songs of the Creek and Yuchi Indians is currently in the public domain and is free to read in the Library of Congress. A digital pdf file of the book can be read here.
