LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION - NATHAN HUSTON DECEMBER 2012 To Whom It May Concern, This is a letter of recommendation for Nathan Huston,

, Vocal Music Education Major at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. His music endorsement will be K-8 General Classroom Music Education plus 7-12 Vocal/Choral Music Education. Nate has been an exemplary student of mine in music education courses since the fall of 2010. I have enjoyed his joyful and sincere attitude throughout his years at Drake University. Nates positive personality and willingness to accept requests with a smile is always a joy to encounter. Mr. Huston easily handles independent studies, knowing that hard work privately results in high quality performances publicly. This is illustrated in his excellent singing skills -- which include superb intonation, beautiful and full tone quality, and top-notch technique, with full attention to dynamics, phrasing, and appropriate performance styles. He has a clear, free quality to his falsetto voice which he uses easily when teaching younger elementary students. This skill is an excellent tool for young voices learning to match pitch and gain vocal confidence. His enthusiasm for children will make him an excellent role model in an elementary school. As a young father, he fully understands age-appropriate child development at the primary level. This experience and his maturity makes him a more suitable candidate than others. Huston had excellent student teaching experiences at both the high school and elementary school level. Given his enthusiastic attitude for learning in general and the desire for continued professional development, Nate will continue to expand his skills and techniques as an educator. His vocal model, as a lyrical tenor, is a wonderful example for young male voices at the secondary level. His sense of confidence is obvious in the choral rehearsals that I observed. He understands the sequence of skills needed to teach a choral rehearsal and expresses those very clearly and appropriately to students. Students are easily drawn to his kind yet musically demanding demeanor. He relates well to singers of all ages, whether elementary or secondary. If you need further information about Mr. Huston, please feel free to email me or call me at the numbers listed below. Nathan Huston is one of our most current promising Drake graduates! Sincerely, Thomas A. Sletto, MAME Assistant Professor of Music Education Drake University Des Moines, IA Thomas.sletto@drake.edu [c] 515.681.8516 [of] 515.271.3195