Moonstrike Concert

Moonstrike is a music and storytelling presentation that highlights Native American voices in both contemporary composition and traditional storytelling.  The program opens with three short works written by Indigenous youth through the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra’s Lakota Music Project Composition Academy, an initiative that empowers Native American students to share their experiences through original composition.
The featured work is Moonstrike by Chickasaw composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate, one of today’s leading Native American classical composers. Written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, the work combines string quartet music with Native stories about the moon, illuminating the rich storytelling traditions that have been passed through generations of Indigenous communities.
A unique aspect of this presentation is the participation of narrator Mike Pace, a Lenape educator and former cultural interpreter at Conner Prairie.  Mike brings a deeply personal perspective to the stories through his connections to Indiana’s Native history, including family ties to Chief Anderson, for whom the city of Anderson is named, and to the Conner family associated with Conner Prairie.  His narration provides audiences with an authentic and engaging connection to the cultural themes explored throughout the program.