Dr. Karen Taylor

December 19, 2018

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To Whom It May Concern

 

I am writing to recommend most enthusiastically Daniel Inamorato dos Santos Louro, a wonderfully gifted pianist and teacher. From 2014 to the present, while pursuing an MM and a Performer Diploma at the Jacobs School and subsequently, Daniel has served as an instructor (p.t.) in the I.U. Jacobs School Young Pianists Program and also a coach/counselor at the I.U. Summer Piano Academy, both of which I direct,.  He has concurrently held a number of other significant positions, most notably staff accompanist at the DePauw University School of Music, and organizer/teacher/performer in the I.U Tanguero Summer Workshops (2014-15), where he served as a member of the Tango Quartet in residence.  Prior to 2014 he served as Conductor/Accompanist for Projecto Guri (Sao Paulo, Brazil), the country’s largest music project for underprivileged youth ages 8-18, and as Production Coordinator of a chamber music series at one of Sao Paulo’s major museums.  In 2006-07 he also served as a music teacher at the Estacao Especial de Lapa, an institution serving individuals of all ages who have a great variety of special needs, from learning disorders (autism, ADHD, dyslexia, etc.) to deafness and physical impediments.

 

Daniel Inamorato is an excellent solo and collaborative pianist, who performs often in recital and in partnership with instrumentalists and vocalists.  He is a spirited, insightful interpreter with temperament, poetic sensitivity and a very accomplished technique. His playing shows a fine grasp of character and a wide range of dynamics, colors and inflections, and he has developed a real “voice” of his own which moves audiences and draws them in. I would like to focus, however, on Dani’s personal and pedagogical qualifications, which I know still better.

 

Thanks to an early start, Daniel Inamorato already has very substantial teaching experience (pre-college beginners through highly advanced pianists studying really challenging repertoire). He is an excellent mentor, with both a gift and a passion for teaching.  Enthusiastic and nurturing, knowledgeable and resourceful, he knows how to convey concepts and skills in a very engaging way, and how to inspire students to give their best efforts. Daniel cultivates an excellent rapport with his students, drawing on a combination of encouraging support, personal warmth, humor and expectations perceptively tailored to their abilities, personal traits and challenges.  His explanations are clear and concise, and he is patient, thorough, well organized and has good time management skills.  Intelligent, insightful and sensitive, he readily adapts his instruction to the individual student. He has very good diagnostic and problem-solving skills, as well as a very fine command of the didactic and standard literature, as well as little-known masterworks which he enjoys introducing his students to. Although only a minority of his Young Pianists Program students were very advanced, Daniel mentored a number of strong, highly advanced pianists at our Summer Piano Academy. I am quite confident that he can teach up to a very high level.

 

One of Daniel Inamorato's greatest attributes is his deep interest and expertise in teaching atypical learners. He has an outstanding gift for working with students who are on the spectrum, students with a wide variety of learning disorders, students who don’t adapt easily—all those who so often fall through the cracks though they may be exceptionally gifted. In our Young Pianists Program he has taught numerous students with autism or Asperger’s disorder, as well as youngsters with ADHD and ADD, ODD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, PDD-Nos and other developmental delays—nearly the gamut of learning issues. I have never encountered a teacher with such an uncanny knack for getting on their “wave lengths”, for addressing their frustrations and skillfully managing their ‘meltdowns’. He can often anticipate when a student is about to lose focus or run into problems, and intervenes to subtly maneuver the student back on task or on track before s/he even knows s/he got off. He is greatly in demand, both by typical and atypical learners and their parents, and boasts an outstanding retention rate.   

 

As his director, I have found Daniel Inamorato a joy to work with.  He is conscientious and ultra-responsible, and has fine communication and interpersonal skills. He cultivates a very good rapport with not only his students but also with their parents, and likewise with administrators and peers. He is well liked and respected by faculty colleagues. Dani is very enterprising and resourceful in organizing and/or participating in outreach programs that increase his school’s visibility and ties with its community, and introduce local audiences to new music.  I think he would continue endeavors of this sort at whatever institution takes him onto its faculty. He is the type who always has his program’s and his school’s interests at heart, and willingly goes above and beyond to help them succeed and thrive. With his outgoing personality and artistic/pedagogical gifts, I think he would be a fine recruiter.

 

I am confident that Daniel Inamorato dos Santos Louro will excel in any position that requires exceptional teaching and performance expertise, and strong interpersonal skills. I believe he is capable of making a very significant contribution in the pedagogical and performance spheres. I recommend him without reservation to your consideration.

 

Yours very cordially,

 

 

Dr. Karen M. Taylor

Asst. Professor (Piano)

Director, I.U. Young Pianists Program and Summer Piano Academy

Indiana University Jacobs School of Music