My teacher and My Practice Partner

When I was 15 my family relocated from Southern California to Northern Virginia. It was the best thing that could have happened to my violin playing.

Up to that point I had been studying under a fine pedagogue and teacher by the name of Sybil Maxwell. The only problem was, she had been in a serious auto accident prior to my working with her. That event severely restricted her ability to play the violin herself.

In the early years this was not so important. She could play well enough to get some of the basic fundamentals across. But by the time I finished middle school I was beyond the point she could inspire me with her own playing.

And I’m the kind of person who is very impressionable.

Seeing or hearing another person play with skill immediately gets my juices flowing. First thing I want to do is go grab my fiddle.

When Mrs. Maxwell could no longer reach me that way I was do for a change.

To my great fortune, upon moving east, we were recommended to a violinist in the National Symphony.

Guido Mansuino was everything I could have wished for; passionate about violins and violin playing, energetic, continental – he was Italian, and a real bon vivant.

Suddenly my enthusiasm for the violin went off the charts. A good part of that renewed interest, however, was due to the fact that Guido began seeing me several times a week, gratis.

He had found that practicing along with me assisted him in staying in shape on the violin as well. The arrangement turned out to benefit both of us.

Now, I recognize that not everybody is going to be so fortunate. That is why the Kreutzer Vol. 1 has not only the 2nd violin accompaniments and ‘at tempo’ performances but the slow practice play along material as well.

The point is that slogging away on one’s own can become monotonous and even counterproductive. If you don’t have a practice partner to help focus and motivate, you then ‘Kreutzer for Violin Mastery’ just may be what you need.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop