Jerod Impichchaachaaha Tate

One of the few actual Native Americans to have explored fusions of classical music and Native American music, composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate writes works that explore elements of his Chickasaw musical heritage. He has also explored the music of other Native American tribes in his work, including Navajo and Cherokee. While at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Tate's mother commissioned the ballet score Winter Moons, which was performed at the University of Wyoming and later by the Colorado Ballet. A breakthrough came in 2007 when Tate's Tracing Mississippi and Iholba' were performed and later recorded by the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Symphony Chorus. Tate's works have been performed by major ensembles, and he has served several composition residencies. In 2021, an album appeared featuring his extended choral work Lowak Shoppala', with a text in Chickasaw and English by Chickasaw poet Linda Hogan.