Pallavi Mahidhara: On Practicing for Flexibility, Not Perfection

<p>Playing for other people, whether it’s an audience of one, a dozen, or several hundred, can be a stressful thing! So it’s easy to focus on the negative aspects of performance, like how to manage nerves and avoid mistakes.</p><p>But performing can also be a real thrill, and one of the most satisfying and meaningful things we do in music. So I thought it might be fun to explore performing and practicing from this more positive angle as well.</p><p>My guest today is pianist Pallavi Mahidhara. A prizewinner at the Geneva International Piano Competition and the International Prokofiev Competition in Saint Petersburg Russia, Pallavi has performed across five continents, and at festivals such as Marlboro and Verbier. She also hosts the “Conscious Artist” podcast, which promotes mental health awareness for performing artists, and is often invited to give workshops and master classes at universities and summer programs as well.</p><p>In this episode, you’ll hear Pallavi describe how practici...