Anthony Plog on Music

Conversations with performers, composers, and entrepreneurs

Clayton Haslop: The Virtuoso Violinist - His life as an LA studio musician, and his relentless and creative fight against focal dystonia.

Anthony Plog, host
Eddie Ludema, producer
Date posted: Aug 20, 2024

Clayton Haslop's journey as a violinist has been nothing short of extraordinary. At just 18, he joined the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and rose to become its concertmaster. Over the years, he also served as concertmaster for the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra and contributed his talents to numerous iconic film scores, including Titanic, The Matrix, and many others. But Clayton's path wasn't always smooth. In his forties, he faced a daunting challenge when he was diagnosed with Focal Dystonia in his left hand. Despite years of struggle and bouts of depression, Clayton made a remarkable comeback by relearning to play the violin using only two fingers on his left hand. I'm especially honored to have this conversation with Clayton, as we were roommates in Santa Monica in the early 1980s. Although I was ten years his senior, I learned so much from him during those years. Speaking with him on this podcast is truly a privilege.

Part 1

In Part 1 of our conversation, we delve into what it’s like to be a concertmaster for some of the top studio orchestras, the experience of working on blockbuster films like Titanic and The Matrix, and collaborating with renowned film composers, each with their unique personalities and approaches to recording sessions. We also explore Clayton’s early years, including his studies with the legendary violinist Nathan Milstein, and discuss the beginnings of his career along with some key concepts from his Violin Mastery Course.

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In Part 2, Clayton delves into the profound challenges he faced after being diagnosed with Focal Dystonia. Drawing inspiration from the legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt, who famously played with only two fingers on his left hand, Clayton reimagined his own technique to continue playing the violin at an exceptional level. He shares the physical and mental strategies that enabled him to overcome this seemingly insurmountable obstacle. Beyond the technical adjustments, Clayton talks about his deep musical connection with the members of an assisted living community.



The podcast theme music, Four Sierra Scenes, written by Anthony Plog, is taken from Crystal Records S205, copyright ©1980 Crystal Records Inc., and is used by permission. Unauthorized duplication is not permitted.