Why These 2 Are ‘Must Dos’

Sir Thomas Beecham was an interesting case. He came from a family with oodles of munny – ever heard of Beecham gum? – and he found a most unique way to spend his inheritance.

He used it to create orchestras

Which he then conducted.

By the early 1960’s London had 5 major orchestras. Sir Thomas had founded 3 of them. While he was at it he became the most celebrated English conductor of the 20th century. And certainly it’s most colorful and charismatic.

‘So why,’ you’re wondering, ‘are you talking about bygone English music history?’

Well, because Sir Thomas said something very interesting. He said, ‘A great musician must combine the maximum of virility with the absolute of sensitivity.’

Now I think that statement can be taken many ways.

Virility certainly has to do with libido, which has to do with the drive to DO, which has to do with intense focus.

Sensitivity has to do with receptivity, which has to do with letting go, which has to do with relaxation.

The two are seemingly diametrically opposed, it would seem. How can we have BOTH at the same instant?

Because we MUST.

But not always in the same measure, mind you.

If you’re familiar with the symbol on the Korean flag you’ll remember it as the symbol of yin and yang. Within a circle are 2 paisleys of opposite color; one yin, one yang. And within each paisley is another small circle of its opposite’s color.

This symbol shows that even in a moment of maximum yin energy, there exists an element of its opposite, yang.

Now getting back to the violin. Today I was playing some highly virile music. Music that could easily tie me up in knots of tension, were I not ‘letting go,’ breathing, and otherwise maintaining myself in a relaxed state.

I’ve watched a lot of people ‘practice’ the violin, over the years. And I’ve seen many lose focus – i.e. virility – in slow music, and lose their composure in dramatic, or virtuosic music.

This is way I liken the ‘practice’ of the violin, whether in performance or in your living room, to a meditation. Both combine discipline and focus with relaxation and receptivity.

Becoming skilled at ‘violin meditation’ requires practice and know-how. Each of my ‘learning the violin courses’ provides the know-how needed by players of a specific level. This morning a strong intermediate player made an excellent choice by acquiring all 4 volumes of Kreutzer for Violin Mastery.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. If it seems I talk about meditation a lot relative to violin playing. It’s because it’s the way I experience it, each and every day.