 The son of a publican, Tate was the eldest brother of one of the foremost operatic sopranos of the early twentieth century, Maggie Teyte.Originally intending to pursue a career in the church, he received early music training from his father, composing his first piece at the age of ten.In 1892, Tate went to the United States, returning in 1897 to accept a position as Musical Director at the Carl Rosa Opera Company.