American Piano Awards to stage Sept. 19 free kickoff at Madam Walker, bringing finalists and $200K winner residency to Indianapolis

The American Piano Awards will open its awards season on September 19, 2026 with a free concert at the Madam Walker Legacy Center, 617 Indiana Ave. in Indianapolis. The event is scheduled to run 3:30–4:45 p.m. with doors opening at 2:30 p.m.; hosts named in the announcement are Ryan Ahlwardt and Dr. Katasha S. Butler. Emerging jazz pianists Joe Block, Caelan Cardello, Brandon Goldberg, Connor Rohrer and Brahm Sasner were listed as performers, and tickets are free but require registration at pianoawards.org/tickets.

The awards are held every two years, alternating between jazz and classical competitions. The announcement says each finalist will spend a week in Indianapolis for juried performances and community engagement from October through February; jazz finalists are slated to perform in trio at The Jazz Kitchen while classical finalists will present solo and chamber works. The notice also states all finalists receive rewards and that the overall winner receives a $200,000 package including career support, a media tour, a residency at the University of Indianapolis, recording opportunities and national engagements. A full events schedule was listed at pianoawards.org/events.

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