Living Inside the Music

Last night we witnessed some extraordinary Olympic performances. We also saw an athlete of fine accomplishment falter; and our hearts went out to her.

I’m referring to, of course, Alicia Sacramone’s performances on beam and floor.

Being the oldest member of the team – and its captain, I think she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. Not a good place from which to perform your best.

In contrast we saw how Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin remained in the ‘zone’ through the entire competition, hitting one amazingly complex routine after the next.

The difference, in my opinion, boiled down not to ability or physical conditioning, but to what you might regard as the third leg of the stool of success.

Mindset.

Last night those two had the mindset of Michael Phelps; an unwavering vision of the task before them. There was no room for the expectation of others or the bitter seeds of self-doubt.

This ability is not something one acquires overnight. Especially so if one has a history of becoming the victim of self-doubt. Yet no one need remain in that space if they decide enough is enough.

Thankfully there is a way to train out of it.

For a gymnast this means learning how to LIVE inside a routine. For a violinist it means living inside a piece of music.

Now, I don’t just mean getting into the feelings aroused BY the music. Any listener can do that.

I’m talking about living in the stew of physical sensations that arise within the process of playing the music. Of course, the sensations you have are a direct result of your technique. The purest, cleanest, most efficient techniques give tremendous advantage.

Yet technique is not the whole story either. One must also have a way of ‘hearing’ the music; translating it into physical actions; and then storing all these detailed instructions in a part of your mind that gives you instant access on demand.

Every time.

– Heifetz used to challenge his students to wake themselves in the middle of the night and play their repertoire, cold, out of a deep sleep –

In any case, this morning I reflected on these things as I took breaks in my practice session. As I did so I recognized how much of value as regards the physical AND the mental side of playing is in my instructional programs.

Now, since I was preparing for my taping of the next installment of ‘Allegro Players’, I’ll give you the link to it right here.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. One last thing, my wife pointed out that the Sedona Masterclass/Seminar tuition was never raised after the June Saleabration. Well, I’m going to leave it there for just a little longer so YOU can hop on board..