Michael Davidman Wins 2025 American Piano Awards

The 28-year-old pianist has won the Christel DeHaan Fellowship, which is given every four years to an American classical pianist at the end of the 13-month competition

Alternating between classical and jazz piano, the American Piano Awards has supported young pianists aged 18 to 30 for four decades and provides winners with career support and numerous concert opportunities. The 2025 classical edition has come to a close in Indianapolis, Indiana, with the final round featuring the five finalists performing with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and conductor  JoAnn Falletta. The final round was streamed LIVE on The Violin Channel and is now available to watch for playback.

After playing the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30, pianist Michael Davidman has won the American Piano Awards and the coveted Christel DeHaan Fellowship. Michael will receive career support valued at more than $200,000 — including two years of career management and public relations assistance, a media tour, an artist residency at the University of Indianapolis, a recording contract with the Steinway & Sons record label, performance engagements both nationally and abroad, and more.

Michael will additionally embark on a recital tour during the 2026-27 season, plus concert engagements with the American Piano Award’s partner orchestras: the Phoenix Symphony, Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and more.

A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School, Michael is currently studying with Stanislav Ioudenitch at the Reina Sofía School of Music in Madrid. Michael maintains a promising performance schedule and continues to pursue his passion for classic opera, publishing regularly to his PucciniMD YouTube page. He has won the Long-Thibaud International Piano Competition, Juilliard Gina Bachauer Competition, and the Ithaca College of Music Piano Competition, among others. As a soloist, he has performed with orchestras such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, Orchestre Symponique de la Garde Republicaine, Symphonicity, and the Monterey Symphony.

This year's American Piano Awards jury included Marina Lomazov, Tito Muñoz, Roberta Rust, and Spencer Myer. Previous winners include Kenny Broberg, Drew Petersen, Sean Chen, Grace Fong, Spencer Myer, Frederic Chiu, and Sara Davis Buechner.