If you want to learn how to teach music, I suggest you get a cat. A senior cat, specifically.

For years, my cat has lived by a plain, elegant philosophy: true contentment isn't found in complexity, but in the pure, honest enjoyment of a single perfect moment—a sunbeam, a gentle stroke, the quiet rhythm of a nap. He finds profundity in the everyday. 

Picking up a new instrument can be a daunting challenge. When trying anything for the first time, it can be difficult to know where to start. Moreover, It’s easy to become paralyzed when faced with the magnanimity of the greats who inspired us to play in the first place.

Of course, the title of this blog refers to the dummy inside of us all. I’ll be the first to admit that I am the biggest idiot in the room. But know that I speak from a place of love as I try to grab you by the lapels and yell: “Do not make the mistakes I have made, students! Any fool can have a hard life. It takes a real master to live easily.”