TATE, Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ – All Classical Research

Born in Norman, OK, July 25, 1968

Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ [Im-pih-CHAH-chah-ha] Tate (Chickasaw) is an American composer and pianist.
- Tate’s middle name, Impichchaachaaha’, means “their high corncrib” and is his inherited traditional Chickasaw house name. A corncrib is a small hut used for the storage of corn and other vegetables. In traditional Chickasaw culture, the corncrib was built high off the ground on stilts to keep its contents safe from foraging animals.
Beginning his professional studies as a pianist, Tate earned his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Northwestern University and his Master of Music in Piano Performance and Composition from The Cleveland Institute of Music.
Blending stories with music, Tate’s Native culture deeply influences his compositions for symphony, ballet, and opera.
- In addition to works based on his own Chickasaw culture, Tate has also written works based on the music and languages of several other tribes, including Choctaw, Navajo, Ojibway, Creek, Lakota, Hopi, Salish/Kootenai, and more.
In 2021, Tate was appointed a Cultural Ambassador for the U.S. Dept of State, and in 2025, Tate won the Wise-Hinrichsen Award in Music from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.¹

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Composer’s website