Jeffrey Tate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
Jeffrey Tate
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| Born |
Jeffrey Philip Tate
28 April 1943 Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
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| Died | 2 June 2017 (aged 74) Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy
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| Education | Farnham Grammar School |
| Alma mater | Cambridge University Christ's College, Cambridge |
| Occupation | Conductor |
| Years active | 1979–2017 |
| Spouse(s) |
Klaus Kuhlemann
(m. 1977) |
| Awards | Knight Bachelor (2017) Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1990) |
Sir Jeffrey Philip Tate (28 April 1943 – 2 June 2017) was an English conductor of classical music. He was known for leading orchestras and opera performances.
Jeffrey Tate was born with a condition called spina bifida, which affects the spine. He also had a curved spine. Despite these challenges, he became a very successful musician. He first studied medicine at Cambridge University. Later, he changed his path to music. He worked at the Royal Opera House in London. In 1979, he made his first big conducting appearance in New York.
He led many famous groups, including the English Chamber Orchestra and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. He was also the first person to be the main conductor of the Royal Opera House. In 2017, he was made a knight for his important work in music.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jeffrey Tate was born in Salisbury, England. His family later moved to Farnham, Surrey. He went to Farnham Grammar School from 1954 to 1961. He earned a special scholarship to attend Cambridge University. There, he even directed plays.
He first studied medicine at Christ's College, Cambridge. He focused on eye surgery. He worked at St Thomas's Hospital in London for a while. But his passion for music was strong. From 1970 to 1971, he decided to study music at the London Opera Centre. After that, he became a repetiteur at the Royal Opera House. A repetiteur helps singers learn their parts and works closely with the conductor. He learned a lot from the famous conductor Sir Georg Solti.
A Conductor's Journey
Jeffrey Tate helped other famous conductors early in his career. For example, he worked with Pierre Boulez on a big opera called The Ring in 1976.
His first international conducting job was in 1978. He led the opera Carmen in Sweden. In 1979, he conducted at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. At the Royal Opera House, he conducted many different operas. These included works by Mozart, Strauss, and Wagner.
In 1985, he became the first principal conductor of the English Chamber Orchestra (ECO). He held this important role until 2000. With the ECO, he recorded many of Mozart's symphonies. He also recorded Haydn's symphonies and Mozart's piano concertos with pianist Mitsuko Uchida. In 1982, he won an award for his excellent work on Mozart's La clemenza di Tito.
In 1986, Tate became the principal conductor of the Royal Opera House in London. This was a new position for the company. He stayed there until 1991. After that, he was a principal guest conductor until 1994. He also led the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra from 1991 to 1995. From 2005 to 2010, he was the music director of the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, Italy.
In 2007, the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra chose him as their chief conductor. He started this job in 2009 and continued until his death in 2017. He was also a guest conductor for the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in Australia.
Many people praised his recordings. Critics noted his ability to create strong emotions. They also said he made sure the singers' voices were always heard clearly.
Jeffrey Tate was also involved in charity work. From 1989, he was the president of ASBAH. This charity helps people with spina bifida, the same condition he had. The charity is now called SHINE.
Jeffrey Tate was married to Klaus Kuhlemann.
Awards and Later Life
Jeffrey Tate received many honors for his contributions to music. In 1990, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). In 2017, he was made a Knight Bachelor. This meant he could use the title "Sir."
He conducted his last concerts in Italy in May 2017. Sir Jeffrey Tate passed away from a heart attack in Bergamo, Italy, on 2 June 2017. He was 74 years old.
Recordings and Performances
Jeffrey Tate made many recordings during his career. With the English Chamber Orchestra, he recorded music by English composers like Bax and Butterworth. He also conducted for famous singers, such as Kiri Te Kanawa.
He sometimes played the organ for recordings of Vivaldi's music. He also played a part in the recording of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro in 1982.
His performances were also captured on video. One notable video is from a live concert with the English Chamber Orchestra in Vienna in 1990.
See also
In Spanish: Jeffrey Tate para niños
