*SPECIAL* In partnership with Jerod Tate, we’re offering Taloowa’ Chipota physical and digital scores FOR FREE through the 2023 calendar year! In Tate’s words, “Many of you know me to be very passionate and I feel that the best gift I can offer back to my human tribe is my music. I am such a fortunate person. I wish for my music to help heal and spread love, hope and prosperity.” To redeem this offer, please send your request to choralquest@composersforum.org.

The composer used a blend of traditional Chickasaw and classical music to create a beautiful atmospheric work in two movements for 3-part mixed choir, piano and cello. The text of the first movement, written by the composer, is in the Chickasaw language, the second contains vocables (syllables with no direct meaning.) In addition to a pronunciation guide, a video of the composer speaking the Chickasaw text is available to help choral directors teach this new language to their students.

Meet The Composer

Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate was born in 1968 in Norman, Oklahoma, and is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. Mr. Tate received his BM in Piano Performance from Northwestern University where he studied with Dr. Donald J. Isaak. He then completed his MM in Piano Performance and Composition at the Cleveland Institute of Music where he studied with Elizabeth Pastor and Dr. Donald Erb. Shortly after beginning his piano studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Tate has received numerous commissions and his works have been performed by the National Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Colorado Ballet, The New Mexico Symphony, the Contemporary Music Forum, Dale Warland Singers, the New Jersey Chamber Music Society and the Oklahoma City University Wind Philharmonic, to name a few. Mr. Tate is Artistic Director for the Chickasaw Chamber Music Festival. He is Composer-in- Residence for the Chickasaw Summer Arts Academy and was Composer-in-Residence for the Grand Canyon Music Festival’s Native American Composer Apprentice Project in 2004 and 2005. In 2007, he was Composer-in-Residence for The Joyce Foundation/American Composers Forum, teaching composition to American Indian high school students in Minneapolis.

About The Premiere

Taloowa’ Chipota was premiered on May 15, 2012 by the Dickson Middle School Choir in Dickson, OK, under the direction of Lisa Riggle.

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