Jeffrey Tate
Encyclopedia
Dr Jeffrey Tate CBE (born 28 April 1943, Salisbury
) is an English
conductor
.
Tate was born with spina bifida
, and also has kyphosis
. His family moved to Farnham
, Surrey when he was young and he attended Farnham Grammar School
between 1954 and 1961 gaining a State Scholarship
to Cambridge University, where he directed theatre productions. Tate initially read medicine at Christ's College, Cambridge
(1961–64), specializing in eye surgery. He later worked at St Thomas's Hospital, London
, before giving up his clinical career to study music at the London Opera Centre
. He became a repetiteur and a coach at the Royal Opera House
, Covent Garden, under the tutelage of Sir Georg Solti
.
Tate's international conducting début was with the Metropolitan Opera
in New York
in 1979. In 1985, he was appointed the first principal conductor of the English Chamber Orchestra
. He was named to the position of principal conductor of the Royal Opera House
, Covent Garden effective in September 1986, the first person in the House's history to have that title. He was principal conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
from 1991 to 1995. In 2005, he was appointed music director of the San Carlo Theatre of Naples
. Tate's recordings include a series of Mozart piano concertos with Mitsuko Uchida
.
Tate has been president of UK Spina Bifida charity
ASBAH
since 1989. A portrait of Jeffrey Tate is in David Blum's book Quintet, Five Journeys toward Musical Fulfillment (Cornell University Press, 1999). It originally appeared as an article in the 30 April 1990 issue of The New Yorker
.
In October 2007, the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra
announced the appointment of Tate as its next chief conductor, as of the spring of 2008.
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
.
Tate was born with spina bifida
Spina bifida
Spina bifida is a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube. Some vertebrae overlying the spinal cord are not fully formed and remain unfused and open. If the opening is large enough, this allows a portion of the spinal cord to protrude through...
, and also has kyphosis
Kyphosis
Kyphosis , also called roundback or Kelso's hunchback, is a condition of over-curvature of the thoracic vertebrae...
. His family moved to Farnham
Farnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
, Surrey when he was young and he attended Farnham Grammar School
Farnham Grammar School
Farnham Grammar School is now called Farnham College which is located in Farnham, Surrey.-History:The grammar school was created some time before 1585...
between 1954 and 1961 gaining a State Scholarship
State Scholarship (UK)
A State Scholarship was a financial scholarship award for university entrants based on Scholarship Level exam results. Although the award was based on exam performance, the amount received was means-tested.-History:...
to Cambridge University, where he directed theatre productions. Tate initially read medicine at Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
(1961–64), specializing in eye surgery. He later worked at St Thomas's Hospital, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, before giving up his clinical career to study music at the London Opera Centre
London Opera Centre
The London Opera Centre, a school for the training of opera singers and other opera professionals, existed in England between 1963 and 1977. It was located in the former Troxy Cinema on Commercial Road in London's East End Borough of Stepney . The Troxy, with 3,520 seats, opened in 1933 and was...
. He became a repetiteur and a coach at the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
, Covent Garden, under the tutelage of Sir Georg Solti
Georg Solti
Sir Georg Solti, KBE, was a Hungarian-British orchestral and operatic conductor. He was a major classical recording artist, holding the record for having received the most Grammy Awards, having personally won 31 as a conductor, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to his...
.
Tate's international conducting début was with the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1979. In 1985, he was appointed the first principal conductor of the English Chamber Orchestra
English Chamber Orchestra
The English Chamber Orchestra is a British chamber orchestra based in London. The full orchestra regularly plays concerts at Cadogan Hall, and the ECO Ensemble performs at Wigmore Hall...
. He was named to the position of principal conductor of the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
, Covent Garden effective in September 1986, the first person in the House's history to have that title. He was principal conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra is a Dutch symphony orchestra based in Rotterdam. Its primary venue is the concert hall De Doelen. The RPhO is considered one of the Netherlands' two principal orchestras of international standing, second to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam...
from 1991 to 1995. In 2005, he was appointed music director of the San Carlo Theatre of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. Tate's recordings include a series of Mozart piano concertos with Mitsuko Uchida
Mitsuko Uchida
, born 20 December 1948, is a Japanese naturalized British classical pianist.-Career:Born in Atami, a seaside town close to Tokyo, Japan, Uchida moved to Vienna, Austria, with her diplomat parents when she was twelve years old, after her father was named the Japanese ambassador to Austria...
.
Tate has been president of UK Spina Bifida charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
ASBAH
ASBAH
ASBAH is a UK registered charity providing information and advice about spina bifida and hydrocephalus to individuals, families and carers.Their services are targeted towards:...
since 1989. A portrait of Jeffrey Tate is in David Blum's book Quintet, Five Journeys toward Musical Fulfillment (Cornell University Press, 1999). It originally appeared as an article in the 30 April 1990 issue of The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
.
In October 2007, the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra
Hamburger Symphoniker
The Hamburger Symphoniker is a German orchestra based in Hamburg, Germany. Founded in 1957, it is one of the city's three largest orchestras...
announced the appointment of Tate as its next chief conductor, as of the spring of 2008.
External links
- Biography from Hamburg Symphony (State: 2010)
- [ Biography from allmusic]
- Theatre San Carlo
- Pieces, 2002 (article in Christ's College newsletter)
- ASBAH