Legends and Spirits – Stories in Sound
Friday & Saturday, March 6 and 7 at 7:30 p.m.
At the Arkley Center for Performing Arts in downtown Eureka, 412 G St.
(707) 845-3655
Audiences are invited to experience an unforgettable evening of music as the Eureka Symphony’s Legends and Spirits – Stories in Sound takes the stage on March 6 and 7, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. This spell-binding program, brought to you by founding sponsor Coldwell Banker Sellers Realty, weaves together cultures, traditions, and timeless storytelling through two extraordinary orchestral works.
The journey begins with Ghost of the White Deer, a powerful bassoon concerto by Chickasaw composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate. Inspired by a traditional Chickasaw story, the piece calls on the natural resonance of the bassoon to embody the soul of the sacred white deer, creating a haunting and deeply expressive soundscape.
“I totally self-identify as a Chickasaw composer, so I’ve got my mission, I want to match a story”, Tate said recently. “The Ghost of the White Deer is a story I’ve known for many years, and the bassoon is a perfect expression of the soul of the white deer.”
The concerto will feature celebrated bassoonist Rufus Olivier, whose artistry brings both lyricism and vitality to this compelling work.
The program continues with Scheherazade by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, the dazzling orchestral suite inspired by the tales of One Thousand and One Nights. With its sweeping melodies and lush orchestration, Scheherazade captures the voice of a master storyteller spinning tales of adventure, romance, and mystery.
From the spirit of the forest to the mystery of the sea, Legends and Spirits – Stories in Sound invites audiences into a world of imagination, tradition, and transcendent beauty.
Tickets are ONLY available on this website or by calling (707) 845-3655 for assistance. Beware of third-party scams. Ticket prices range from $21-54, with RUSH tickets at the door, after 6 p.m. on concert evenings, for just $15, or $10 with a student ID – the best available seats. Two children under 12 get in free with every adult ticket purchased. Ask about special rates for student groups.
Shuttle: Concert attendees who may need assistance getting to the concert are encouraged to sign up for the Eureka Symphony’s new door-to-door ShuttleProgram, a safe and easy way to get to and from the concerts. Visit the “Get Involved” page or call (707) 845-3655 for details. Reserve a seat by Wednesday, March 4. Last minute reservations will be subject to availability.
Musical Notes: A free pre-concert talk by concertmaster Terrie Baune and pianist John Chernoff, is also at the Arkley Center from 6:30-7:00 pm, and is a fun and informative way to learn about the music and the composers. Sponsored by Carol and Wayne Palmer.
Program
Ghost of the White Deer
Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate
Sections (played without breaks)
Prelude
Laughing Minko
The Forest
Shared Dreams
Dawn/Sunrise
Out of the Ashes
Ghost of the White Deer
Rufus Olivier, bassoon soloist
INTERMISSION
Scheherazade
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship
The Story of the Kalendar Prince
The Young Prince and the Princess
Festival at Baghdad. The Sea. The Ship Breaks against a Cliff Surmounted by a Bronze Horseman
Artists
Rufus Olivier
Bassoon Soloist
Rufus Oliviers’ Bio:
Rufus Olivier is principal bassoonist with the San Francisco Opera and the San Francisco Ballet. At the age of 21, he became a bassoonist with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra before moving to his current positions with the Opera and Ballet.
Mr. Olivier has been guest soloist with numerous orchestras throughout the United States, Japan, and France, has premiered new works for the bassoon, and was featured in live radio recitals in Los Angeles. He is a founding member of the Anchor Chamber Players, the Midsummer Mozart Orchestra, and the Stanford Wind Quintet. He has recorded many movie, video, CD and TV soundtracks including Disney’s Never Cry Wolf and San Francisco Opera’s Grammy-nominated CD Orphée et Eurydice. He was awarded a Grammy for the soundtrack Elmo in Grouchland.
Prior to arriving in the Bay Area, Mr. Olivier performed with the Los Angeles
Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra under Neville Marriner and the Goldofsky Opera Tours. He studied with David Briedenthal of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and is on the music faculty of Stanford University. In 1993 Mayor Frank M. Jordon awarded Mr. Olivier the Seal of The City and County of San Francisco, in recognition of his “Exemplary Accomplishment On The Occasion of Black History Month.” In 2005 Rufus was the featured subject of the lead story in the International Musician, a publication that reaches musicians in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate
Composer
Jerod Tate’s Bio:
Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate is a Chickasaw-American father, classical composer, and citizen of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma, dedicated to the development of American Indian classical composition. The Washington Postraved that “Tate is rare as an American Indian composer of classical music. Rarer still is his ability to effectively infuse classical music with American Indian nationalism.” He is a 2022 Chickasaw Hall of Fame inductee and a 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient from The Cleveland Institute of Music. In 2021, he was appointed a Cultural Ambassador for the U. S. Department of State. In 2025, Tate won the Wise-Hinrichsen Award in Music from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Among Tate’s recent premieres, highlights include commissions from the New York Philharmonic – for which The New York Times praised Tate’s “gifts for texture and color” – the American Composers Orchestra, Cantori NY, and Turtle Island Quartet. The Dover String Quartet commissioned Tate’s new quartet, Woodland Songs, as well as a newly commissioned orchestration of Pura Fe’s Rattle Songs, and continues to tour the works throughout the world. In fall 2024, Oklahoma’s Canterbury Voices performed the world premiere of Tate’s Loksi’ Shaali’ (Shell Shaker), the first opera written by an American Indian composer in their native language, and it was reprised at Mount Holyoke University in spring 2025 under the baton of TianHui Ng. PostClassical Ensemble presented an all-American Indian program curated by Tate at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and his popular work Chokfi’ has been programmed by symphonies across the country. His American Indian Symphony was performed at the Oklahoma City Philharmonic in April 2025.
Tate has recently been commissioned by Roomful of Teeth, violinist Irina Muresanu, Skaneateles Festival, and Big 10 Band Directors Association. Tate’s other commissioned works have been performed by the New York Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony and Chorus, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, Canterbury Voices, Dale Warland Singers, Santa Fe Desert Chorale and Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. His music was also featured in the HBO series Westworld.
Tate is a three-time commissioned recipient from the American Composers Forum, a Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Program recipient, a Cleveland Institute of Music Alumni Achievement Award recipient, a governor-appointed Creativity Ambassador for the State of Oklahoma, and an Emmy Award-winner for his work on the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority documentary The Science of Composing.
Tate’s recording credits include Iholba’ (The Vision) for Solo Flute, Orchestra and Chorus and Tracing Mississippi, Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, recorded by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, on the GRAMMY® Award-winning label Azica Records. In 2021, Azica released Tate’s Lowak Shoppala‘ (Fire and Light), recorded by Nashville String Machine with the Chickasaw Nation Children’s Chorus and Dance Troupe, and the label recently released Tate’s inaugural composition, Winter Moons, and his MoonStrike, recorded by Apollo Chamber Players. His Metropolitan Museum of Art commission Pisachi (Reveal) is featured on ETHEL String Quartet’s album Documerica.
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. His middle name, Impichchaachaaha’, means “their high corncrib” and is his inherited traditional Chickasaw house name. Learn more at www.jerodtate.com.
Concert Extras
To learn more about the concert in advance, join host Elizabeth Morrison on Zoom from 6:00-7:30 p.m. on March 2, (the Monday before the concert). For details visit “Live & Local Concert Preview”, a free OLLI Special Interest Group sponsored by the Eureka Symphony.
Learn more about Ghost of the White Deer on Jerod’s website.
Summary
- When: Friday March 6, and Saturday March 7, 7:30 p.m.
- Where: Arkley Center for Performing Arts in Eureka (412 G St.)
- Musical Notes: 6:30 p.m.
- Tickets: $21-$56 purchase online
- Shuttle form
- Email: EurekaSymphony@gmail.com
- Phone: (707) 845-3655
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)https://www.eurekasymphony.org/2025-2026-concert-playbill-for-the-eureka-symphony/
More about this concert from our Playbill…
The first concert of 2026 begins with Ghost of the White Deer, a concerto for bassoon and orchestra by Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate (b. 1968). We have been looking forward to this piece since Chokfi’: Sarcasm for String Orchestra and Percussion was a highlight of the 2024- 25 season. Tate describes himself as “a classical composer and citizen of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma who is dedicated to the development of American Indian classical composition.” This description of Ghost of the White Deer comes from his website www.JerodTate.com.
“Ghost of the White Deer is a romantic and dramatic bassoon concerto which tells the legend of two young Chickasaw Indians in love. In this concerto, the bassoon depicts all aspects of the characters, specifically the timbre and calling of the sacred white deer. The story is as follows. A brave and young Chikasha warrior, Blue Jay, fell in love with Bright Moon, the daughter of a Minko (Chief). The Minko did not like the young man, so he created a price for the bride that he was sure Blue Jay could not pay.”Bringme the hide of the White Deer,” said the Minko. The Chikasha believed that all white animals were magical. “The price for my daughter is one white deer,” the Minko laughed. He knew that an albino deer was rare and would be very hard to find. White deerskin was the best material to use in a wedding dress, and the best white deer skin came from the albino deer.
Blue Jay went to his beloved, Bright Moon. “In one moon’s time, I will return with your bride price and we will be married. This I promise you.” Taking his best bow and his sharpest arrows, Blue Jay began to hunt. Three weeks went by. Blue Jay was hungry, lonely, and scratched by briars. Then, one night during a full moon, Blue Jay saw a white deer, who seemed to drift through the moonlight. When the deer was very close to where Blue Jay hid, he shot his sharpest arrow. The arrow sank deep into the deer’s heart. But instead of sinking to his knees to die, the deer began to run. Instead of running away, he charged straight toward Blue Jay, with his red eyes glowing and his horns sharp and menacing…
A month passed and Blue Jay did not return as he had promised Bright Moon. After months of waiting, the tribe decided that he would never return. But Bright Moon never took any other young man as a husband, for she had a secret. When the moon was shining as brightly as her name, Bright Moon would often see the white deer in the smoke of the campfire, running with an arrow in his heart. She lived believing the deer would finally fall, and Blue Jay would
return.”
Bassoon concertos may not appear on concert programs as often as piano, violin or cello concertos, but the bassoon is a marvelous solo instrument. Like all woodwind and brass players, bassoonists are soloists within the orchestra, and their sounds, whether portentous or lively, add irresistible colors to the orchestra. So it is a special treat for a bassoonist to take center stage. The concerto is about half an hour long and is played through without pause, with sections named to help us follow the story. As Tate explains above, the bassoon “depicts all aspects of the characters, specifically the timbre and calling of the sacred white deer.” If you’re not familiar with the sounds made by deer of any color, you need only search YouTube for many examples. The takeaway is that Tate has brilliantly notated deer sounds for the bassoon.
In the Prelude, after the solo bassoon speaks as the White Deer for three or four minutes, he leaves his deer voice to impersonate the laughing Minko. The bassoon does excellent laughter, too. We follow him into the forest as the hunter Blue Jay, witness the fateful meeting between Blue Jay and the White Deer, reach out to Bright Moon from the spirit world, and finally experience them in the smoke of Bright Moon’s fire. Tate has written of this story’s importance in Chickasaw culture, and it is our privilege to hear it in our corner of the great Northern forest.
Ghost of the White Deer is matched in storytelling with Scheherazade by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908). A four-movement orchestral suite, Scheherazade is based on One Thousand and One Nights, a collection of folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age, the 8 th to the 13 th centuries. Each movement centers on a story told by the beautiful Scheherazade to her husband, Sultan Schakhiar. The sultan has come to believe that all women are unfaithful, so he has made up his mind to take a new wife each night, but have her put to death the next day, before she has a chance to betray him. Scheherazade, the daughter of the Grand Vizier, has come with a plan. Each night she will weave a cliffhanger for her husband, holding back the ending–which, she says, he will have to wait for until the next night to hear. After surviving by her art for a thousand and one nights, she confesses she has no more stories left to tell. By this time the sultan has come to love her too much to put her to death.
The character of Scheherazade is played by a solo violin, our concertmaster Terrie Baune, who introduces each story in turn. As the piece opens, we first meet the sultan with a theme as heavy-handed as the sultan himself. As his lackeys back slowly out of the bedchamber, Scheherazade gathers her wits, and then unfurls the most sensuous, ravishing melodic line imaginable. We, like the sultan, are in her hands from that moment forward.
Rimsky-Korsakov is perhaps the most brilliant orchestrator of the nineteenth century. Each movement unfolds with sparkling colors, warm, entrancing melodies, and drama worthy of Scheherazade herself. The music is not strictly programmatic, nor does Rimsky-Korsakov require us to follow it beyond a sense of exotic adventure. Left free to create our own version, we can choose the beauty of the music over the poignancy of the stories. In Ghost of the White Deer, a sacred animal is undone and a hunter and his beloved are lost to each other. In Scheherazade, a woman spins stories to save her life. It falls to the genius of the composers and the transforming power of music itself to transform heartbreaking stories into uplifting, life-affirming art.