Meet the Finalists of the 2025 American Piano Awards

The Violin Channel is excited to announce a new partnership with the American Piano Awards and will stream the competition's final rounds on April 4-5, 2025

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 finalists are Michael Davidman (27), Avery Gagliano (23), Sasha Kasman Laude (29), Elliot Wuu (24), and Angie Zhang (29), who were selected from a pool of nominations made by over 1,200 industry professionals. 

As part of a new partnership with American Piano Awards, The Violin Channel will stream the final round from April 4-5 and provide in-depth, backstage content from the event.

All five finalists will return to Indianapolis for “Finals Week," held March 31 – April 5, 2025. Over the course of the week, each finalist will perform a chamber music recital with the Dover Quartet at Christ Church Cathedral and a solo recital at The Jazz Kitchen. The final juried performances of the 2025 Awards are the Finals Nights with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, conducted by JoAnn Falletta, held April 4 – 5, 2025, at Hilbert Circle Theatre.

They will compete for the Christel DeHaan Classical Fellowship, which is given every four years to an American classical pianist at the end of the 13-month competition. 

By virtue of their selection, the finalists have already won a cash prize of $25,000 each. They will also 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 Steinway & Sons record label, performance engagements both nationally and abroad, and more.

The 2025 top prize winner 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.

The jury includes Marina Lomazov, Tito Muñoz, Roberta Rust, and Spencer Myer. Michelle Cann serves as the American Piano Awards Christel DeHaan Artistic Partner.

“The 2025 Awards are a unique celebration of our five talented finalists,” said American Piano Awards' President and CEO, Chris Williams. “It is incredibly rewarding to collaborate with these young pianists in the early stages of their careers and provide opportunities for them to grow as artists. I look forward to supporting our finalists throughout the Awards and beyond, as we launch the next generation of great American classical pianists.”

For more information on the competition and its finalists, click here.

Previous winners include Kenny Broberg, Drew Petersen, Sean Chen, Grace Fong, Spencer Myer, Frederic Chiu, and Sara Davis Buechner.