American Piano Awards

Last updated
American Piano Awards
Formation1979;45 years ago (1979)
by Victor Borge, Tony Habig, and Julius Bloom
PurposeDiscover, promote and advance the careers of young, American, world-class jazz and classical pianists
Headquarters4603 Clarendon Road, Suite 030, Indianapolis, IN 46208
Location
Region served
United States
President & CEO
Chris Williams
Current Classical Winner
Kenny Broberg
Current Jazz Winner
Isaiah J. Thompson
Main organ
Board of Directors
Website pianoawards.org
Formerly called
The Beethoven Foundation (1979-1989), American Pianists Association (1989-2024)

American Piano Awards is a non-profit performing arts organization based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The organization's goal is to "discover, promote, and advance" the careers of young American pianists. The organization hosts a biennial competition called the American Piano Awards, which switches focus from classical piano to jazz piano every two years. [1] Valued at over $200,000, the awards of the competition are among the most lucrative piano prizes in the world.[ citation needed ] The Cole Porter Fellowship, awarded to the winner of the jazz competitions, is one of the greatest honors young American jazz musicians can receive. [2] In non-competition years, the organization hosts a piano recital series, [3] and from 2003 through 2008, the organization produced Indy Jazz Fest. [4]

Contents

History

The organization was "born" in New York City in 1979 as the Beethoven Foundation, conceived by Danish pianist Victor Borge, Tony Habig of the piano manufacturer Kimball International, and Julius Bloom, former general manager of Carnegie Hall. Their original intent was to help identify and develop young American pianists to compete in international piano competitions by offering fellowships over a three-year period that included cash awards, concerts and media coverage. [5] In 1982, The Beethoven Foundation moved its national headquarters to Indianapolis, Indiana due to its central location and Habig & Borge's geographical ties to the area.

In 1989 the organization was renamed as The American Pianists Association to reflect a broader mission and scope that included jazz pianists. [5] The jazz competition was added in 1992.[ citation needed ]

The organization was rebranded as American Piano Awards in 2024 to better reflect its most significant programs and aid in the public's understanding of its mission and purpose. The executive offices are a part of the Arts Collaborative housed in Lilly Hall at Butler University.

Competitions

Finalists for the American Piano Awards compete through a series of adjudicated public recitals. The classical competition includes solo piano, chamber music, and concerto performances and ends with each finalist performing a piano concerto with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The jazz competition includes repertoire for solo piano, jazz trio, vocal jazz, and jazz orchestra. [6]

Award recipients

The American Piano Awards website lists these winners: [7]

YearWinnerWinnerWinner
2023 Jazz Isaiah J. Thompson
2021 Classical Kenneth Broberg [8]
2019 Jazz Emmet Cohen
2017 ClassicalDrew Petersen
2015 Jazz Sullivan Fortner
2013 Classical Sean Chen
2011 Jazz Aaron Diehl
2009 Classical Grace Fong Adam Golka
2007 Jazz Dan Tepfer
2006 Classical Stephen Beus Spencer Myer
2004 Jazz Adam Birnbaum
2003 Classical Thomas Rosenkranz Michael Sheppard
2001 Jazz Aaron Parks
2000 Classical Christopher Taylor Ning An
1998 Jazz Jesse Green
1997 ClassicalDerison DuarteHiroko KunitakePeter Miyamoto
1996 Jazz Rick Germanson
1995 ClassicalJames GilesAnthony MolinaroJ.Y. Song
1994 JazzKevin Bales
1993 ClassicalAdam Kent Nicholas Roth Lori Sims
1992 JazzJim Pryor
1991 ClassicalTimothy Bozarth Anthony Padilla Daniel Shapiro
1989 ClassicalJonathan BassBrian GanzStephen Prutsman
1987 ClassicalDiane HidyPhilip HosfordNelson Padgett
1985 Classical Frederic Chiu R. Clipper EricksonDmitry Rachmanov
1983 Classical Phillip Bush John SalmonMichael Lewin
1981 Classical David Buechner Glenn SalesJonathan Shames

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitsuko Uchida</span> Japanese-English classical pianist and conductor.

Dame Mitsuko Uchida, is a Japanese-English classical pianist and conductor. Born in Japan and naturalised in England, she is particularly notable for her interpretations of Mozart and Schubert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murray Perahia</span> American pianist and conductor

Murray David Perahia is an American pianist and conductor. He has been considered one of the greatest living pianists. He was the first North American pianist to win the Leeds International Piano Competition, in 1972. Known as a leading interpreter of Bach, Handel, Scarlatti, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schumann, among other composers, Perahia has won numerous awards, including three Grammy Awards from a total of 18 nominations, and 9 Gramophone Awards in addition to its first and only "Piano Award".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stefan Milenkovich</span> Serbian violinist (born 1977)

Stefan Milenkovich is a Serbian violinist.

John O'Conor is an Irish pianist and pedagogue, and former director of the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

James Zuill Bailey, better known as Zuill Bailey is an American Grammy Award-winning cello soloist, chamber musician, and artistic director. A graduate of the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University and the Juilliard School, he has appeared in recital and with major orchestras internationally. He is a professor of cello and Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Texas at El Paso. Bailey’s extensive recording catalogue are released on TELARC, Avie, Steinway and Sons, Octave, Delos, Albany, Sono Luminus, Naxos, Azica, Concord, EuroArts, ASV, Oxingale and Zenph Studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Augustin Hadelich</span> Italian-German-American violinist (born 1984)

Augustin Hadelich is an Italian-German-American Grammy-winning classical violinist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emanuel Ax</span> American pianist, music professor (1949)

Emanuel "Manny"Ax is a Grammy-winning American classical pianist. He is known for his chamber music collaborations with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and violinists Isaac Stern and Young Uck Kim, as well as his piano recitals and performances with major orchestras in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piers Lane</span> Australian pianist (born 1958)

Piers Lane is an Australian classical pianist.

Ronald Turini is a world renowned Canadian classical pianist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enrique Graf</span> Uruguayan-American pianist

Enrique Graf is a Uruguayan-American pianist.

Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi is a world renowned Japanese cellist. In an international career which began in 1954, Tsutsumi has performed and recorded all of the principal standard works in the cello repertoire, both solo and concerto. He has appeared as soloist with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington D.C..

Sean Eric Kennard is an American classical pianist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yoonjung Han</span>

Yoonjung "Yoonie" Han is a South Korean-born American classical pianist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuja Wang</span> Chinese pianist (born 1987)

Yuja Wang is a Chinese pianist. Born in Beijing, she began learning piano there at age six, and went on to study at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Albright</span> American pianist and composer

Charlie Albright is an American pianist and composer. He is an official Steinway Artist, 2014 Avery Fisher Career Grant Recipient, 2010 Gilmore Young Artist (2010) and former Young Concert Artist. He graduated from Harvard College (AB) and the New England Conservatory (MM) as the first classical pianist in the schools' five-year AB/MM Joint Program, was named the Leverett House Artist in Residence for 2011–2012, and was one of the 15 Most Interesting Seniors of the Harvard College Class of 2011. He graduated from the Juilliard School of Music with his post-graduate Artist Diploma (AD) in 2014.

Ching-Yun "Charlotte" Hu is a Taiwanese-born American classical pianist. She won the 2008 Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition and the 2012 Golden Melody Award for Best Classical Album. She founded Yun-Hsiang International Music Festival in Taipei.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Violin Competition of Indianapolis</span> Quadrennial classical violin competition held in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

The International Violin Competition of Indianapolis (IVCI) is a classical violin competition which takes place once every four years in Indianapolis, Indiana. Since its founding in 1982, "The Indianapolis" has been regarded as the Olympics of the Violin, and dubbed "the ultimate violin contest" by the Chicago Tribune.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrejs Osokins</span> Latvian pianist

Andrejs Osokinsis a Latvian pianist. He is laureate of several piano competitions, including the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Tel Aviv, the Long-Thibaud International Competition in Paris, the Leeds International Piano Competition and the Queen Elisabeth International Piano Competition in Brussels. In April 2015 he became the Audience Awardee of the 5th International German Piano Award presented by International Piano Forum. In 2009 Osokins was awarded with The Grand Music Award 2008,which is the highest form of state recognition in the field of music in Latvia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth Broberg</span> American classical pianist (born 1993)

Kenneth (Kenny) Broberg is an American classical pianist. In June 2017 he won the silver medal at the Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. In June 2019 Broberg earned the third prize and bronze medal at The XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition. In June 2021 he won the American Piano Awards.

Henry Kramer is an American pianist.

References

  1. "These young star pianists will perform in Indianapolis starting this fall". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  2. Chinen, Nate; Smith, Trevor (13 July 2023). "Relive the 2023 American Pianists Awards from Indianapolis". NPR Music.
  3. Harvey, Jay. "Florida native Sean Chen named DeHaan Classical Fellow". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
  4. "History". American Piano Awards. Retrieved 2024-11-01.
  5. 1 2 "Fellows of the American Pianists Association". American Music Teacher. 54 (4): 39–42. 2005.
  6. "Awards". American Piano Awards. Retrieved 2024-11-01.
  7. "Laureates Page". American Piano Awards. Retrieved 2024-11-01.
  8. Kenny Broberg wins 2021 American Pianists Awards in Indianapolis by Domenica Bongiovanni. Indianapolis Star, 27 Jun 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-30.