Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage you to arrive early at the concert hall and enjoy a preconcert refreshment with other piano lovers and claim your favorite seats!

For events at The Jazz Kitchen, American Piano Awards and Jazz Kitchen staff work together to seat parties on arrival to ensure a pleasant experience for everyone attending. While we cannot guarantee specific seating requests for this venue, please reach out to Operations Coordinator Sam Stucky at least 7 days prior to the event with any requests.

With General Admission seating, we can create a more flexible and accessible concert experience for our patrons. This model enables us to accommodate last-minute changes in attendance for both newcomers and seasoned patrons. Additionally, this change streamlines the ticketing process, allowing our staff to continue providing exceptional experiences as our audience grows.

We generally recommend “nice casual” attire for our concerts, but this can vary depending on the venue in which we are presenting. Classical performances can tend toward more formal attire and jazz performances sometimes more casual.

Tickets are available for individual performances or a full competition season package. Please choose whatever works best for your calendar, and join us at as many shows as you are able.

Our season packages include some special gifts and are the best way to be sure and hear from all five of the extraordinary finalists.

The American Piano Awards are something our city should be so proud to host, and we hope to see you at a show soon!

Our musicians are meant to be heard and applauded, and we are excited that you will be part of the audience!

Whether a first timer or seasoned supporter, you will leave an American Piano Awards performance moved and inspired. At the performance, you will learn a bit about the pianist and the composers which will further enrich and connect you to the experience.

During competition season, our events are adjudicated. It is customary during classical concerts to wait to applaud until the end of a piece. Sometimes this can be difficult to discern when there are multiple movements, but our performers are experienced and appreciate your applause, even if it comes “early.”

The Awards are held every two years, alternating between jazz and classical piano. The 2027 Awards will be for jazz piano, and the five finalists will be announced in Spring 2026.

To inquire about booking a winner or laureate of the American Piano Awards please email us at bookings@pianoawards.org.

We do not provide piano lessons or maintain a list of piano teachers to recommend since our primary focus is the presentation of our awards and concert programs. Local University music departments and local music stores can be a great starting point for finding a private piano teacher.

Probably! Check our list linked below.

Laureates from both jazz and classical competition seasons are artists we are deeply proud to have as part of the American Piano Awards family. See them all and dive into their current work straight away.

Attending our concerts is a great way to start supporting our programs, but ticket sales alone do not sustain our mission. To learn more about joining our family of dedicated donors or for more information about corporate sponsorships or special gifts, reach out to our Executive Vice President Leigh Ann Hirschman.

We keep busy! In addition to planning the 13 month competitions, we have a recital series in Indianapolis that features past laureates in addition to other great talents in the jazz and classical scenes.

We’d love to have you join our American Piano Awards family through a gift of any level.

When you give to American Piano Awards, you join a vibrant community of extraordinary piano musicians and the people who love their music.

For corporate sponsorships or special gifts, please do not hesitate to connect with Executive Vice President Leigh Ann Hirschman.

Connecting the country’s best pianists to the communities who are enthusiastic about music helps to build respect for the art form and encourage the next generations of pianists. We enthusiastically connect the finalists with groups, schools, and places here in Indianapolis – all which help to share the magic of piano music with more ears.

If you would like to host a laureate or partner with The American Piano Awards, please reach out to Director of Artistic Operations Ryan Frick at your earliest convenience.

The Awards are open by nomination only. We receive nominations from music schools, presenters, record labels, agents, artist, and a wide variety of other industry people from across the country.  You must be an American citizen ages 18-30 and referred by one of these to apply.