The Best Laid Plans

On rare occasion, as you well know, even the best-laid plans have a way of going awry. Learning to deal with these bumps in the road is one of our greatest challenges, both as human beings and violinists.

Not long ago I told you about a concert I once played where my pre-concert warm up had gone miserably. On that day I was able to surrender myself to a higher power, walk onstage, and play a truly inspired concert.

I am not ALWAYS successful with my appeal.

Sometimes I’ve had to just ‘gut it out’, as the saying goes. In those cases, however, I don’t just put my head down like a bull and plow.

No, I keep my best public face on and continue to do my utmost to produce what beauty the situation will allow.

It’s not good enough to practice this creative deception only in concert settings. You must discipline yourself to it in practice sessions as well. After all, bad days don’t just happen on concert days.

It really all boils down to attitude, doesn’t it?

In a few days you will have what I consider to be a unique, one-of-a-kind opportunity to go behind the scenes and witness all that goes into my preparation for a big concert.

I know there will be some tough moments, and you could very well be there witnessing them. But what I know going into it is this; it is in those times where you will learn the most about what has made me successful as a violinist.

I hope you tune in.

Now, again speaking of ‘best laid plans’, but on another topic. I had hoped to have the beginner/novice program ready to roll this week, and I AM working on it. It appears, however, that I will not be able to offer sign-ups for about 2 weeks yet. I expect the first issue to ship at the beginning of October now.

Thanks for your continued patience on this. It‘s turning out to be a little more complicated to pull together than I thought. But for those of you who are serious about learning the violin from the ground up I think the wait will be well worth it, in the end.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Just because the best-laid plans do sometimes go awry does not mean one shouldn’t always plan for the best. To do so you want the most efficient, faultless fundamentals you can come by.