SFPS Partners with Renowned Native American Composer

Santa Fe, NM:  Jerod Impichaachaaha’ Tate, a composer from the Chickasaw Nation, is currently visiting Santa Fe Public Schools. During his time in the district he is instructing four music students at El Camino Real Academy as part of an initiative sponsored by the Institute of American Indian Arts and the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. The goal of the initiative is to cultivate contemporary Native artist leadership, capacity, community building, and the Native American Fine Art Movement.

While in Santa Fe, Tate will coach students on a daily basis for five consecutive days, at the end of which, the group will have completed four compositions for the string quartet. The string pieces, authentically composed by the four students, will be performed by the locally-based UP String Quartet during a public concert.

The culminating concert takes place at El Camino Real Academy, 2500 South Meadows Road, Santa Fe, NM, 87507, on Monday October 30, 11:45 AM-12:30 PM in the commons area. The event is free, and the public is invited to attend.

The student musician-composers are Dennis Hernandez (grade 7), Esmeralda Jasso (grade 8), Alondra Silva (grade 8), and Valeria Sosa (grade 8). These students study with El Camino Piano Instructor, Galina Austin, and Orchestra Director, Carla Kountoupes.

The UP String Quartet consists of David Felberg, Carla Kountoupes, Shanti Randall, and Dana Winograd. Carla Kountoupes is also the cooperating orchestra director at El Camino Real.

Tate’s career as a composer includes teaching composition to Native American students across the country. Tate has been praised and honored by the Washington Post for “his ability to effectively infuse classical music with American Indian nationalism.”

For more information, please contact Leanne D. DeVane, SFPS music education coordinator, at 467-2513.