Letters of Recommendation
The below is a letter from Greta Morgan. She’s an accomplished singer, musician, songwriter, author, and educator. Between 2022-2025, I took numerous writing workshops with her, each aimed at the goal of writing an album in 3 months time. Greta taught me a lot about the value of trusting your writing, varied approaches to songwriting, and the value of community as an artist.
To Whom it May Concern,
It is with great enthusiasm that I write to recommend Caleb L'Etoile for your program. I have had the pleasure of working with Caleb across multiple songwriting workshops, where he distinguished himself not only through his exceptional talent and productivity, but also through his generosity, problem-solving skills, and unwavering support for his peers. He uplifted newer writers, offered his production skills to support their growth, and consistently showed up with a present and open-hearted attitude.
From the very first session, Caleb’s creative output stood out. His songs are deeply felt, emotionally resonant, so insanely catchy, and structurally sophisticated. He has an innate sense of lyricism and melody and I frequently find his songs stuck in my head long after the session ends. Caleb is one of those rare writers who can consistently deliver songs that are not only well-crafted but genuinely moving. And his output of productivity floors me.
What makes this even more impressive is the speed and consistency with which he works. Caleb is one of the most productive students I’ve encountered in my time teaching. He doesn’t just show up—he brings fully formed work, week after week, always thoughtful and ready to revise, explore, or experiment. He works with both discipline and inspiration, a rare combination that makes him an invaluable presence in any creative setting.
But talent and productivity alone aren’t what set Caleb apart. One of the things I admire most about him is his willingness to help others. He is constantly offering assistance, encouragement, and insight to fellow students. He became our unofficial tech advisor—jumping in whenever there was a Zoom issue or someone was struggling with audio. His ability to troubleshoot and calmly guide others through technical challenges saved me an extraordinary amount of stress and allowed the workshops to run smoothly.
Caleb is a real "can-do" person. Whether faced with tight deadlines, creative blocks, or group challenges, he approaches everything with positivity, resourcefulness, and flexibility. He adapts quickly to new environments and expectations and is always open to feedback.
In short, Caleb is the kind of student every teacher hopes to work with—extraordinarily talented, wildly productive, generous in spirit, and endlessly reliable. I recommend him to your program with the highest confidence that he will be an asset not only as a creator but as a community member.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to discuss Caleb’s candidacy further. I’d be more than happy to speak about him.
Warmly,
Greta Morgan
The below is a letter from Eduardo Faour, an accomplished jazz pianist and educator. He was my music teacher during 2023-2025, focusing on piano, composition, and music theory.
My name is Eduardo Faour, piano player, composer, teacher and owner of “Gato Jazz” online academy.
I have been teaching privately for the past 10 years, focusing on traditional North American music and music composition. While I have had the honor to teach music to extremely talented people from all ages and backgrounds around the world, rarely have I come across a talent and capacity for growth like Caleb’s.
Caleb is probably the most prolific composer that I have come across. It was shocking to me to see Caleb digest what we would talk about in a lesson, only for him to come the following week with a brand new composition implementing what we were just talking about a week prior.
I believe Caleb would be a great addition to your school. Furthermore, I know he would be a great addition to any school he chooses to apply for. I sincerely hope you give him the chance to surprise you, just as much as he surprises me.
Regards,
Eduardo Faour
The below is a letter from Jeff Doyle. Jeff is a wonderful human, musician, and songwriter who I met at UVA and have had the great fortune of calling a friend for almost 20 years. Jeff has witnessed the many stages of my creative life, generously supporting, listening to, and encouraging my development as an artist along the way.
To Whom it May Concern,
I have had the privilege of being inspired by Caleb’s music and spirit for nearly twenty years. Meeting as undergrad students at UVA, Caleb and I became fast friends bonding over musical exploration and experimentation – from African Music and Dance class to late-night discussions about composition – and have stayed in touch sharing created and admired music back and forth ever since.
Having met and collaborated with countless musicians over the years, I can honestly say that Caleb stands out amongst them. His passion for growth, experimentation, and play combined with technical proficiency (and good taste) makes him an incredibly interesting musician and is unparalleled in my own experience. Over the years I’ve witnessed his skillset and catalogue evolve and mature, inspired by a seemingly insatiable exploration of music across genres, a dedication to learning and experimentation, endless creativity, and a joyous love for music itself. While his catalogue is multidimensional, it also feels cohesive – experimentations with sound and form and style that are still uniquely him.
Caleb is also a kind, humble, and generous soul. He is a fantastic collaborator, thought partner, and helpful ear – to chat about music or anything else. To support my own musical journey, he has provided technical feedback on compositions and recordings, technical and artistic guidance on integrating software and hardware, and lessons learned from his experiences sharing music with the public. He is always more than willing to help however he can, and I am forever grateful for the guidance and kindness he has shown me over the years.
I know that Caleb would be a great addition to UVA’s CCT program and am excited about the prospect for him to learn and contribute to it – I’m sure the output will be inspiring!
Sincerely,
Jeff Doyle
The below is a letter from Jessy Martin, who makes work under the name Jessy Leigh. Jessy is a dear friend and collaborator who I’ve known since 2023 after taking a songwriting workshop together. Jessy has seen my music develop over the past few years and has graciously offered her insight, feedback, and singing voice to several projects.
To Whom It May Concern,
I first met Caleb L’Etoile in the summer of 2023, when I enrolled in a three-month intensive workshop focused on writing my first record. At the time, I was taking a significant creative leap and felt, to say the least, extremely nervous. Entering the program as a topliner who had never written a song, and finding myself surrounded by highly skilled musicians who were producing work at an impressive pace, was intimidating. After my first in-progress song-share with the class, Caleb reached out to tell me he thought my music was wonderful and encouraged me to consider adding instrumentation or recording my songs professionally. When I explained my concerns about my lack of technical skills, he reassured me that those limitations were not nearly as fixed as I believed.
Within a week, Caleb sent me a package containing basic recording equipment and offered to spend several hours teaching me how to use it, including a thoughtful introduction to recording in Ableton. I was genuinely blown away by his generosity, as well as by his ability to teach. Caleb has a natural gift for breaking down complex technical and creative concepts into clear, approachable lessons. Ideas I had struggled with for months suddenly made sense. Through his guidance, I developed a stronger understanding of sound design, recording techniques, and creative problem-solving. Within a month, we wrote our first song together. I provided the lyrics and vocals, and Caleb produced, mixed, and mastered the track. The resulting work remains one of my proudest creative achievements and reflects the depth of his mentorship.
During this time, Caleb was also mentoring several other students and frequently stepping in to provide technical support for both peers and instructors. Even so, his own creative output never slowed. While the workshop was underway, he wrote and recorded at least two full-length albums, each demonstrating a distinct sonic identity and a thoughtful, iterative creative process. His approach to experimentation and revision reflects the intellectual curiosity and discipline expected at the graduate level. When he encountered obstacles such as creative blocks, technical issues, or the need to learn new instruments to realize his ideas, he approached each challenge with patience, determination, and strategic problem-solving. At one point his musical library was corrupted, resulting in the near-loss of everything he had been working on. Even then, he salvaged what he could and rebuilt the rest. His resilience in the face of setbacks is truly remarkable.
Caleb and I have continued to collaborate over the years, and he has consistently expressed a desire to deepen his musical knowledge and, in turn, his ability to teach and support others. I deeply admire his dedication to the practice of music and his thoughtful, disciplined approach to learning. I wholeheartedly recommend Caleb L’Etoile for admission to your graduate program. I am confident that he will be a committed, curious, and generous member of your academic community.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Please feel free to reach out if you have any additional questions or would like to discuss Caleb’s work and accomplishments further.
Best,
Jessy Martin