NEW YORK – Two album releases in less than one month will occur Sept. 2 for Chickasaw classical music composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate. “Moon-Strike” – narrated by famed Chickasaw astronaut John Herrington–willbeavailable to the public through Azica Records.
On Aug. 5, Azica Records released “Winter Moons,” Tate’s first commissioned orchestral score for ballet written and recorded in 1995.
In addition, Tate will serve the University of Oklahoma School of Music as composerin- residence during April 2023.
“It is my life passion to thrive with my Oklahoma and First American communities,” Tate said. “This appointment allows me to bring the best of myself to my own people and I am deeply honored and grateful for this opportunity.”
Tate will present lectures, engage with classes, teach students and collaborate with the University of Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra, located in Norman.
“MoonStrike” will receive its Carnegie Hall debut March 9, 2023, in the famed Weill Recital Hall in New York City.
Both Tate and Herrington are in the Chickasaw Hall of Fame, the highest honor bestowed on Chickasaw citizens. Tate entered the hall thisyear;Herringtonin2002.
The album features the Apollo Chamber Players, a critically acclaimed, Houston- based chamber quartet of two violins, cello and viola. It will be the group’s sixth album release and fulfills a 2020 project launched in 2014 to commission 20 new multicultural works composed by underrepresented composers.
“MoonStrike” was commissioned and composed by Tatein2019tohonorthe50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, July 20, 1969.
Tate incorporated First American moon legends to be narrated by Herrington, the first enrolled member of a tribal nation to travel to space.
“American Indian legends are very colorful and tend to take twists and turns within the narrative. Regarding the moon, it is very consistent — the traditional tales involve trickster characters and competitions forownershipofthis precious object,” Tate said.
“MoonStrike” features three diverse First American legends and is bookended with an arrangement of a Calusa Corn Dance, a tradition of the Florida Seminole First Americans.
“MoonStrike” includes the following movements: Corn Dance [1:10] Prologue [0:30] Origin of the Moon [6:38] TheManWhoMarriedthe Moon [10:09] Raven Steals the Moon [7:43] Epilogue [0:14] Corn Dance Reprise [1:18] Tate is an Emmy Award winner. He is also a U.S. Department of State Cultural Ambassador and tours the world and First American reservations teaching composition to youth. His compositions, many of which feature the Chickasaw language, have been played by major orchestras throughout America.
Herrington received a commission in the U.S. Navy’s Aviation Officer Candidate School in March 1984.
In 2002, he was selected as a Mission Specialist for the 16th Endeavour Space Shuttle mission. Herrington performed three spacewalks, totaling 19 hours and 55 minutes, during the mission. His feats are commemorated on the reverse of the 2019 Sacagawea dollar coin.
In 2017, Herrington was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. In 2018, he became one of the inductees in the first induction ceremony hosted by the National Native American Hall of Fame.
“MoonStrike” may be enjoyed on YouTube with Herrington’s narration. In the search bar, look for, “Apollo Chamber Players MoonStrike.” A television interview with Tate and Herrington may also be enjoyed by performing the same search.