A casual conversation between Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation President Dr. Steven Prescott and Chickasaw composer Jerod Tate led to the Emmy award-winning program "The Science of Composing."
During a state of creativity panel discussion including Dr. Prescott and others involved in the project, Tate explained that he teaches music composition to young students at the Chickasaw Summer Arts Academy.
"I was sitting next to Dr. Prescott when we were taking a break and he said 'how would you like to come teach a bunch of middle aged scientists?'" Tate said with a laugh, adding that he answered "that sounds really cool."
Within a couple of months, the project was underway. The program follows seven OMRF scientists as Tate guides them through a 10-day process of composing original music for a string quartet. At the end of the process, their compositions are performed live before an audience.
A crew from OETA filmed the entire project, beginning with the week of lessons and culminating with the performance in the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. The program, which originally aired on OETA in September 2010, is now available on the OETA Web site www.oeta.tv.
"We were very much in the middle of a Hollywood-style set through all of this, but the crew was very discreet, so we were able to be extremely natural and candid in our process," said Tate. "For me, this was a really neat opportunity to show the world what happens on a one-to-one basis with a teacher and a student."
OETA Executive Director John McCarrol said the network is proud of the team effort it took to put together this Emmy Award-winning production.
"The creative collaboration between our talented documentary filmmakers, Jerod Tate, OMRF and the OKC Philharmonic demonstrates the essence of what OETA is all about – bringing together people and organizations from across the state to help educate and inform the people of Oklahoma through public media," said Mr. McCarroll.
Dr. Prescott said that the scientists reacted with varying degrees of enthusiasm, but added "everyone was intrigued by it."
Tate said the process was somewhat different from his normal teaching experience.
"For me it was new because I normally teach kids, and one of my students was twice my age. Dr. Jordan Tang is a really important figure in Alzheimer's research. It was just a really different experience and expanded my sense of being a teacher.
"Also, I now have a much deeper understanding of what goes on in medical research for OU and in the state of Oklahoma and in Oklahoma City. I wasn't aware that we had this kind of research going on in Oklahoma. I also got the chance to work with these really, really smart people."
One of those really, really smart people, Dr. Tang, reacted with a mixture of disbelief and excitement when he heard about the project.
"I believe that as one getting older, you have to not only keep yourself physically fit, but you also have to challenge yourself mentally, to keep yourself mentally fit. You never should lose interest in the challenges," said Dr. Tang, describing the thought process that led to his participation in the project.
Tate said the project helped confirm Dr. Tang's comments about the value of the creative process. He said that the speed at which the scientists became engaged in the composing process was surprising, given the fact that many of them had not played their instruments for many years.
"It's actually a testimony, I believe, to the fact that if people keep their minds engaged as they grow things get sharper," said Tate.
Dr. Courtney Gray-McGuire, who was very enthusiastic about the opportunity, also expected that kind of result.
"I'm absolutely in, 100 percent. I've already got my ideas. I'm there," Dr. Gray-McGuire said on camera. "I think my science will be reinvigorated by it as well. I really do. I was just remarking the other day that I need something. I need a spark. I need something to get back to thinking more creatively in my work. This is absolutely going to do it. I have no doubt."
Tate, who was named a Creativity Ambassador for the Oklahoma Creativity Project, said the television program and its results offer evidence that the creativity project is accomplishing its mission.
He said he is "really proud" of what was accomplished as a result of the cooperation between a freelance composer, a state television network, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.
"That was all under the umbrella of the Oklahoma Creativity Project," said Tate. "That is exactly the kind of thing which should happen. I really owe a lot to Governor Anoatubby for this, because he is the one who recommended I become one of the cultural ambassadors for the state.
"I would not be who I am without my family and my Tribe," Tate added. "I dedicate this Emmy Award to the people of the Chickasaw Nation. It belongs to all of us."
Governor Anoatubby said that Tate is very deserving of the award.
"Jerod is a very talented and creative individual," said Gov. Anoatubby. "We believe his involvement in the state of creativity project will continue to benefit the state for years to come."
OETA Team receives Emmy
Tate was an integral part of the 12-member team which received the EMMY award for "The Science of Composing." The team received the award from the Heartland Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences during a July 23 award ceremony in Oklahoma City.
The program, which originally aired on OETA in September 2010, is now available on the OETA Web site www.oeta.tv. "The Science of Composing" is part of the documentary series "State of Creativity."
The program won the award for the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority in the "Documentary – Cultural" category. Members of the team are: Christi Mitchell, Producer / Editor; Bill Perry, Executive Producer; Daniel Lapham, Photographer; Jerod Tate, Music Consultant; John McCarroll, Executive Director; Bill Thrash, Program Executive; Toney Antonelli, Graphic Design; Charles Kennedye, Photographer; Leon Smith, Audio Mix; David Tamez, Photographer; Chuck Dutrow, Lighting; Joel Beasley, Engineering.
