1. Tesseract School
Engaging Minds. Inspiring Dreams.
March 16, 2015
To Whom It May Concern:
As the director of middle school instrumental music at Tesseract School in Phoenix, Arizona, it has been my sincere honor to
work side by side with Brandon Zale for four years, from 2011 to 2015. Brandon has masterfully taught both middle school
and high school general music, choral and theatre classes in the adjoining room next to mine and with no uncertainty, he has
been the most helpful and collaboratively creative educator that I have ever worked with in my twenty-five year teaching
career. Always up-beat, positive and professional, Brandon is very approachable and engaging. His students at all grade
levels enter his classroom with eagerness and excitement each day and thrive as independent, confident and responsible
individuals under his direction. Without reservation, I firmly believe that Brandon would be a strong asset to any educational
institution and I wholeheartedly recommend him as a general music, choral and theatre educator for all grade levels.
In addition to being an individual who is highly organized, proficient .with time management, a skilled pianist, and an
articulate presentor of music education workshops, Brandon's leadership at Tesseract has provided numerous and varied
opportunities for students to learn, develop and shine in music and theatre performances. A few outstanding examples
include (1) Brandon's initiative to organize and execute an amazing high school performing arts trip to New York City in which
students were actively engaged with master clinicians in all musical genres for three jam-packed days, (2) the development of
a ten-week, project-based, collaborative and cross-curricular project with the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in Phoenix,
AZ in which all in grade students studied the music and cultures of assigned geographical areas and then recreated and
presented their own museum displays and instruments at the MIM, and (3) Brandon's direction of the high school's annual
mainstage theatre productions over the past five years that have all been consistently excellent.
Ou-tside of his own teaching activities, Brandon has not only made time to attend all of my student's evening performances
but has also consistently collaborated with and supported the high school band director on his evening concerts, as well.
Brandon's devotion and time commitment to Tesseract and to his colleagues is both significant and rare. Even more
remarkable to me is that Brandon yet manages to do this while simultaneously honing his own musical and theatrical skills by
performing voice-over work, acting in commercials, auditioning and performing in a variety of musical and theatre
productions within the valley, and participating in choral festival opportunities in the United States and abroad. He is also a
very gifted visual artist! Although confident with his multiple talents and abilities, Brandon never "blows his own horn."
Rather, he is very down-to-earth, humble, and intentionally dedicated to continual self- and professional development. His
lovely wife is also very supportive of Brandon's educational endeavors and she has attended every concert and performance
in the four years that I have been at Tesseract.
In clOSing, please know that I cannot endorse the merits and character of Brandon Zale enough and that this letter only
touches upon all that I have witnessed him accomplish personally and with his students. If you should desire any additional
information to accompany this recommendation, please do not hesitate to contact me at (602) 692-1826 or
tdkerbey@cox.net.
Respectfully,
Therese D. K, rbey
MS Instrumental Music Educato
Tesseract Middle School
Lower School • 4800 East Doubletree Ranch Road • Paradise Valley, Arizona 85253 • 480.991.1770 • Fax 480.991.1954
Middle and Upper School· 3939 East Shea Boulevard • Phoenix, Arizona 85028 • 480.385.3673 • Fax 480.385.3674
www.tesseractschool.org