Native American cultures are typically rooted in traditions and storytelling. So is the world of classical music and theater.
Combining these traditions into a musical celebration of heritage is both a passion and a mission for renowned Chickasaw composer Jerod , a classically trained pianist known for his dramatic works incorporating Native American themes into music, creating a unique fusion of sound that gives listeners an emotional, dramatic and theatrical experience.
“All my works are actually based in North American legend, culture and ethos,” Jerod explained.
“That is a dedicated passion of mine in composition; it’s what I do. On my journey, I’ve been able to work with many different Native American languages. I’m very proud to bring those languages to the world concert stage, and I’m glad that people are able to attend and hear their own language on the stage for the first time.”
Where It Began
Originally from Norman, Jerod grew up as a self-described “theater brat.” His mother, Patricia Coleman, was a ballet dancer and professional choreographer of Manx heritage. She earned a degree in dance from the University of Oklahoma, where she also worked with legendary Oklahoma prima ballerina Yvonne Chouteau. Jerod was often on hand, watching rehearsals and absorbing the exciting atmosphere.
The other major influence came from his father, Charles Tate. In addition to being a classical pianist and baritone, Charles served as a tribal attorney for the Chickasaw and Cheyenne-Arapaho nations—even authoring the Chickasaw constitution. His career took him to Native American sites all across the United States, with Jerod tagging along.
“I was exposed to a lot of different tribes since I was a young kid, so I had a cosmopolitan experience in Indian Country itself my entire life,” he said. “My dad is also the one who started me on the piano, when I was 8. Then I started private lessons, and within three months I had announced to my family that I was going to be a concert pianist. I remember that very clearly. I wanted that life.”
With the full support of family and friends, Jerod pursued his musical career, studying at the prestigious Cleveland Institute of Music. He intended on a career in performance, but ended up composing his first-ever ballet at the request of his mother, who wanted it for her students at the University of Wyoming.
It was nerve-wracking, but nonetheless placed him firmly on the path to his current success. Jerod has since composed symphonies, ballets and operas and received many honors, including a 2011 regional Emmy Award for his role in the documentary “The Science of Composing.”
“I really love being an American Indian symphonic composer, and that’s because a lot of my heroes in classical music were very tied to their ethnic and national identities, as I am,” he said. “So I find lots of inspiration in the traditional classical music repertoire. I love bringing my heritage into the work that I do, but I’m not alone in that. All genres of fine arts do that on a regular basis.”
Jerod’s commissioned works have been performed by major symphony and philharmonic orchestras around the country, including a premiere of “Iholba’ (“The Vision”) at the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra.
“That piece they commissioned is going to be played at Carnegie Hall next spring, just before my ‘American Indian Symphony’ debuts here,’” he remarked. “That’s pretty cool.”
His career has taken him around the world, and in 2024 Jerod was named a cultural ambassador by the U.S. Department of State. Recordings of his work can be heard on JerodTate.com, Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora and YouTube.
Inspiring the Next Generation
In addition to performing and composing, Jerod has taken on the mantle of teacher throughout his career. He founded the Chickasaw Summer Arts Academy, among many other initiatives, and hosts regular workshops for Native American and other students around the country.
He’s also been a composer-in-residence for multiple organizations, including Music Alive, a national residency program of the League of American Orchestras and New Music.
When asked about his favorite performance memories, he’s emphatic in stating that he is most thrilled when he hears his students perform their own compositions.
Above all, Jerod said he treasures seeing the creativity reach into the third generation with his son, Heloha, whose name means “thunder” in Chickasaw. Heloha inherited his grandmother’s dance skills and is currently studying and performing with the Oklahoma City Ballet. Despite being only 11, he’s also an accomplished horn player who plans his own musical career.
Jerod said he loves that each member of the family has their own unique creative specialty.
“I have such deep relationships with the music, dance and Native American communities in our state, and so many friends who were and are influential in Native American fine arts of all types,” he said.
“Knowing Heloha is also getting to work with these people and know them, and the fact that I’m able to pass this along to my son, is a blessing.”
Above all, Jerod said, he treasures making music that celebrates Oklahoma’s one-of-a-kind blend of mainstream and Native American influences.
“Indian Territory is quite a beautiful anomaly on our planet, and my connections with OU and Oklahoma music, theater and dance are very deep. Basically, I’m a total Oklahoma kid, of mixed heritage and mixed experiences, which is what we are.
“I’ve played major halls across the country, which I’m very proud of, but it’s this home stuff, the fact that I’m premiering my ‘American Indian Symphony’ here in Oklahoma City, that is really important to me,” he added.
“I love living here. I enjoyed raising my son in Oklahoma; most of my family are here. So I’m very patriotic on many levels about where I come from, and I believe that comes through in my music.”
Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate’s latest work is the groundbreaking “American Indian Symphony,” which features two soloists performing in six different Native American languages. Its world debut with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic is set for April 19, 2025, at the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City. The singers will perform in Apache, Cheyenne, Chickasaw, Modoc, Pottawatomi and Wichita.