My Secret Life with Máiréad Nesbitt

For those of you who don’t watch a lot of public television, and are not into Celtic music, you may not have a clue as to who Máiréad Nesbitt is. She’s a fast emerging star on the international scene, having been the violinist of for some years of the hit group, ‘Celtic Woman’.

My first exposure to her came about 2 years ago when Tania and I happened to catch an ice show on TV in which she performed with her group.

I was quite amazed by the way she was able to cover a very wide area whilst simultaneously and quite energetically dancing and fiddling. I looked closely to see if she was actually doing the playing; I didn’t think it possible to move so dramatically and yet keep a bow traveling horizontally on just one string.

From the camera angles shown I wasn’t able to determine conclusively one way or the other whether she was ‘live’. Yet even if she was pulling a ‘Milli Vinilli’ on me, it was so convincing I figured she must be able to play and dance pretty darn well, no matter what.

The next day I did a little fooling around in our living room; just enough to verify how challenging the feat was.

Now I’m determined to go one up on Ms. Nesbitt. In 11 short days from now I’ll be making my debut as a dancing/unicycle-riding violinist in a parade in the off-off-off Broadway locale of Cottonwood Arizona.

After all, one has to start somewhere.

There is one thing that I’d like to share with you regarding the process. The counting technique I developed some years back to help me to learn music quickly and reliably has been indispensable.

It’s something I bring to all my programs and courses now. I know that the advanced intermediate player will find it most useful in the mastery of Kreutzer’s 42 Etudes/Caprices – A.k.a. the violinist’s Bible.

So if you’ve run aground in your progress on the violin and are looking for a way forward, go take a look at my one-of-a-kind program.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Incidentally, I’m fixin’ to entertain the parade goers with Fritz’s marvelous slow Waltz, ‘Liebesleid’, just so happens it will be the main dish in this month’s edition of ‘Allegro Players’. This course is the ticket for players just entering the ‘lower positions’ of the violin.