I lost a teacher this week. Words seem inadequate to express my feelings at the moment, but I want to just take a moment to honor the man who gave so much of himself to others and especially to me. August Humer was a man who lived what he believed. He turned music into something exciting and enjoyed doing it. I feel privileged to have been able to spend these last months of his life with him drawing from his wealth of knowledge and I hope that I will be able to carry on the tradition in my life of making music come alive and sharing that with those around me. He was such an inspiration to watch. Even struggling with cancer and pain he never let it get him down and continued to teach and play as much as he could. He often reminded me that we only have today, so live it to the fullest, and he certainly did that. He played that way too. No holding back. If you are afraid to live (play) then what is the point? Life is a journey; make sure you are headed in the right direction, enjoy the things you pass, don't worry about not knowing exactly where you are, and, most of all, don't fear the final destination. Gustl, thank you.

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.