Tate, Herrington bring 'Moonstrike' to Carnegie Hall

NEW YORK – Emmy Award-winning composer Jerod Tate is preparing for a Carnegie Hall performance this March featuring famed Chickasaw astronaut John Herrington.

Born in 1958, Herrington's coming-of-age story unfolded during the golden years of space exploration. He grew up to be a U.S. Naval aviator and an astronaut for NASA. He became the first enrolled citizen of a First American tribe to fly in space.

Apollo Chamber Players will present Tate's "MoonStrike," narrated by Herrington, March 9, 2023. The concert will be hosted in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.

Tate, a Chickasaw citizen, is currently at work on commissions for the Turtle Island Quartet, Roomful of Teeth, Parlando, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Boston Children's Chorus, Florida Orchestra, and many more.

During November 2022 Native American Heritage Month, Tate's music was performed nationally by several orchestras.

Concerts included Norman Philharmonic Performing "Shakamaxon" at McFarlin Memorial United Methodist Church in Norman, Oklahoma; Sphere Ensemble performing "Pisachi" at Mercury Café in Denver, Colorado; CityMusic Cleveland Chamber Orchestra performing "Pisachi" at the Praxis Fiber Workshop, Cleveland, Ohio; Longmont Symphony performing "Chokfi'" at the Macky Auditorium Concert Hall in Longmont, Colorado; and Diablo Wind Symphony performing "Seminole Snake Dance" in Lafayette, California.

"At the beginning of the pandemic, I made a public announcement all my music is free for purchase, rental or sync rights through 2023. I felt this was the most immediate and tangible way I could help my music community. I also prioritize making myself available for Zoom coaching, pre- and post-concert appearances, and other events to help the artistic and marketing efforts of the performances," he said.

In autumn 2022, his works were featured in three commercial albums: the release of his first ever composition, "Winter Moons," a ballet commissioned by and dedicated to his mother out on Azica Records; the title track of Apollo Chamber Players' "MoonStrike," also on Azica, a collection of works by Tate, Jennifer Higdon and Pierre Jalbert; and "The Lakota Music Project," a program of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra which tackles the racial tension pervasive among South Dakota's nine reservations by creating an environment of openness through music.

Additionally, Seattle Pro Musica will present the world premiere of Tate's "The Glimmer" on March 25, 2023, commissioned in honor of the series' 50th anniversary. One of five exciting young composers commissioned to write new works for Seattle Pro Musica's milestone anniversary, Tate is composing music for the poem "The Glimmer," by Washington state poet laureate Rena Priest.

Upcoming performances of Tate's music include: Mid-Texas Symphony in New Braunfels, Texas (April 2), and the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas (April 29); Fort Wayne Philharmonic in Indiana (Feb. 11) and North Valley Symphony Orchestra in Phoenix, Arizona, present excerpts from Tate's ballet and first-ever composition, "Winter Moons" (May 20). Tate's "Shawi' Imanompa'" (Raccoon Talk) will be performed by the SOLI Chamber Ensemble in San Antonio, Texas (Feb. 23); North Dakota's Bismarck Mandan Symphony presents "Waktégli Olówaŋ" (March 11), and "Clans" receives performances from the University of Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra (April 23) and Fresno Philharmonic (May 7).