In addition to all of the informative sessions and exhibits that the 52^nd NATS National Conference offered to attendees, they were given the opportunity to attend several evening of recitals and competitions. One of these evenings was a night with Guest Artists, Nathan and Julie Gunn. Despite the ever present shirt on Nathan Gunn, the recital was one of the highlights of the conference.

The recital began with a few selections by Franz Schubert that were followed by the entire Dichterliebe by Robert Schumann. Julie Gunn danced with the piano as if she was being partnered in a ballet. The collaboration between Nathan and Julie was the highlight of the recital, the interaction between the couple brought something special to the performance.

The second half of the recital, which was the English portion of the program, was a mixture of both comedy and melancholy with pieces from Samuel Barber, Charles Ives, and William Bolcom. After the last piece, the audience applauded for more and was not disappointed, receiving not one, but three encores from the Gunns.

The next afternoon four lucky singers were given a chance to sing for both Nathan and Julie Gunn in a master class open to all conference attendees. The pair was not only interesting to listen to, but also gave some useful insight into the pieces performed. It was a treat to have a glimpse into the collaboration of the Gunns as they coached the singers through everything from Handel to Music Theater. Both were gracious and put the singers at ease, which is so important, as anyone that has sung in a master class knows.

Allen Henderson, NATS Executive Director remarked, “NATS was thrilled to have Nathan and Julie Gunn in recital at our National Conference in Orlando. Their recital was warmly received and their master class the next day exhibited their unique collaboration in bringing out the best in singers."

Keep a look out in future Journal of Singing publications for a more in depth interview with the Gunns by Leslie Holmes.