Keys to Success
American Piano Awards Is Much More Than a Music Competition
Take a Taste
Chao Vietnamese Street Food Celebrates 10 Years of Flavor and Authenticity
Picture That
A
CLOSE
LOOK AT KEVIN RABER’S PHOTOGRAPHY CAREER
Brand Guide 2021
Now Streaming on Hoodox
Hoodox is a nonprofit organization on a mission to support and promote Indiana storytelling that helps connect Hoosiers, spark conversations, and promote positive change in Indiana. One of their programs is the first and only streaming service featuring exclusively nonfiction, Indiana-focused movies and shows made by Hoosier filmmakers.
In celebration of Disability Awareness Month, Hoodox is proud to present the newest title hitting the streaming library: Teacher of Patience. Produced and directed by Hoosier filmmaker Carmen Vincent, this Emmy Award winning film tells the story of Emily Felter, a young woman with Down Syndrome, and her family as they raise disability awareness within the first responder community. The film, like many documentaries, offers viewers the opportunity to see the world through someone else’s eyes and to grow our own empathy so we can be better neighbors.
Teacher of Patience is now streaming on Hoodox alongside more than 120 Indiana-focused documentaries. “Hoodox is a catalyst for empowered filmmaking and storytelling here in Indiana,” Vincent says. “It gives us documentary filmmakers a platform to share our work - a culmination of blood, sweat, tears, and love for powerful Hoosier stories.”
Learn more about Hoodox at watchhoodox.com.
8 PICTURE THAT A Close Look at Kevin Raber’s Photography Career 12 BRUNCH MADNESS 14 TAKE A TASTE
Chao Vietnamese Street Food Celebrates 10 Years of Flavor and Authenticity 18 FRESH FOCUS
Aberdeen Social House Brings Cool Culinary Concept to the North Side 21 KEYS TO SUCCESS American Piano Awards Is Much More Than a Music Competition
PUBLISHERS
MICHAEL & LINDSAY DURR michael@townepost.com (630) 853-1142
KEY CONTRIBUTORS
SARAH BROWNING RYAN GABBERT
MELISSA GIBSON
RENÉE LARR ON THE COVER: KEVIN RABER LEADS PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP IN WASHINGTON STATE.
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MANGING EDITOR DEVON DEAN
COPY EDITOR JON SHOULDERS
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1
INDIANAPOLIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
HILBERT CIRCLE THEATRE, 45 MONUMENT CIR.
5:30 PM
“JERSEY BOYS”
BEEF & BOARDS DINNER THEATRE
8 - 10:30 PM
Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre takes audiences behind the scenes - and the music - of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons with the hit “Jersey Boys”.
NATURE JOURNALING
CONNER PRAIRIE, 13400 ALLISONVILLE RD.
10 AM - 12 PM
Make connections to the natural world through nature journaling. Take time to observe by looking, listening, feeling and noticing the gifts of nature present at Conner Prairie. connerprairie.org
PRESTON SINGLETARY: RAVEN AND THE BOX OF DAYLIGHT
EITELJORG MUSEUM, 500 W. WASHINGTON ST.
10 AM - 5 PM
Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight features works from internationally acclaimed artist Preston Singletary. eiteljorg.org
5
WEDNESDAY NIGHT TRIVIA
GUGGMAN HAUS BREWING CO., 1701 GENT AVE.
7:30 PM
Join us every Wednesday for Trivia Night at 7:30 PM. visitindiana.com
12
ACTING, PRODUCTION AND BUSINESS NETWORKINGELEVATING YOUR POTENTIAL
HOWL AT THE MOON INDIANAPOLIS, 20 E. GEORGIA ST. 6 - 8 PM
Strive welcomes you to Acting, Production and Business Networking, an event for tenured and newcomers at Howl at the Moon! eventbrite.com
13
ATHLETICO PHYSICAL THERAPY FREE ASSESSMENTS
NORTH MASS BOULDER, 1411 ROOSEVELT AVE. 5 - 7PM
Stop by once a month for a FREE 15-minute assessment. northmassboulder.com
INDY IGNITE PRO VOLLEYBALL MATCH
FISHERS EVENT CENTER, 11000 STOCKDALE ST. 7 PM provolleyball.com
14 -16
INDIANA COMIC CONVENTION
INDIANA CONVENTION CENTER, 100 S. CAPITOL AVE. 12:30 - 10 PM
Indiana Comic Convention is a must-attend event for fans of pop culture, comics, movies, TV shows, anime, gaming and more. indianacomicconvention.com
15
SHAMROCK BEER RUN 5K
HISTORIC MILITARY PARK, 601 W. NEW YORK 12 - 5 PM
18 BUTLER UNIVERSITY SOFTBALL VS. BALL STATE 4 - 6 PM butlersports.com
21
JURASSIC QUEST
INDIANA STATE FAIRGROUNDS, 1202 EAST 38TH ST. 3 PM
22 SHEN YUN CLOWES MEMORIAL HALL OF BUTLER UNIVERSITY, 4602 SUNSET AVE. 2PM
Experience China before Communism. butlerartscenter.org
IMMERSE YOURSELF WITH INDY DESIGN WEEK 2025
If you feel like you could use a little color and creativity in your life, you need to check out Indy Design Week [IDW].
Indy Design Week is a city-wide festival celebrating and elevating the Indianapolis design community. The event is creating an inclusive space for designers, creators, and enthusiasts to come together, share ideas, and explore new perspectives to create a lasting impact in Indy.
Indy Design Week is a celebration of all facets of design. This year’s event returns with a bold and thought-provoking
theme: Hues. Beyond highlighting color’s impact on design, IDW is celebrating the importance of diversity & inclusion in design, business, and society by showcasing unique perspectives & amplifying diverse stories in the community.
“For Indy Design Week 2025, we’re inviting the community to reimagine how color connects us,” says Tori Witter, Executive Director of Indy Design Week. “From its emotional resonance to its role in branding and storytelling, the power of color is universal, yet deeply personal. We’re excited
to see the speakers, workshops, and exhibits amplify this theme and help bring it to life.”
The seventh annual event is happening from April 21st through April 26th and will take place all over the city of Indianapolis to increase accessibility for attendees and showcase the incredible venues the city has to offer. Attendees can expect events varying from coffee meetups and hands-on workshops to creative talks and inspiring panels, and even an exclusive VIP kickoff party for sponsors, partners, and VIP ticketholders.
“We see Indy Design Week as the intersection for all the different areas of design,” says Witter. “We want inspire collaboration.”
With an extensive schedule of speakers, attendees will get inspired by presentations from creative leaders, such as Patrick Armstrong, host of the award-winning podcasts Conversation Piece and The Janchi (pronounced: JohnChee) Show, who will be leading a special IDW edition of AIGA Indy’s “Creatives in Color” series and 2025 keynote speaker Daniel Swartz, letterpress designer and printer and Founder of Hoosier Type Company, delivering his keynote address ‘Done is Better Than Perfect’.
“Every single person you’ll hear from is a local designer and innovative leader in their industry. Indy Design Week continuously wants to highlight the amazing stories of local creators and the work being done in Indy,” says Witter.
Hands-on workshops that demonstrate diverse design principles and encourage the learnings of new design skills have become paramount to this event. Workshop Night is expanding into Workshop Day—a full day of hands-on, interactive workshops at The Stutz, thanks to sponsor Griffy’s Art Supply. After being a standout event in 2024, this crowd favorite returns bigger and better on Saturday, April 26, closing out IDW with a bang. Alongside signature design workshops, we’re adding activities for all ages, from elementary to high school students. Workshop Day tickets drop next month—stay tuned!
Partnerships are essential for this organization. Indy Design Week focuses on giving back to the community, and the
group has been very fortunate on how much the community wants to give back. Local designer, illustrator and graffiti artist, Ess McKee, is donating a piece of original artwork which will serve as the official poster for Indy Design Week. The Buckingham Foundation rewarded IDW with a grant to support the new event software launching for the 2025 event. Indy Design Week will also be working with Second Helpings to limit food waste during the event and ensure leftover, unused food will be donated back to local neighbors in need.
At the end of the day, Indy Design Week wants to elevate the incredible
we really want to promote conversations about the role of cultural storytelling and how we can become better creatives through the power of community.”
Early-bird tickets are on sale right now for Indy Design Week. $100 for a VIP AllAccess ticket, which includes the VIP KickOff Party on Monday, April 21, and $80 for an All-Access ticket that gets attendees access to every event happening throughout the week. Students receive 75% off allaccess tickets with a valid student ID and email. Ticket prices will increase as April approaches, so grab a ticket and mark your calendars Indy Design Week 2025.
To learn more information about Indy Design Week, see the full 2025 schedule, and purchase tickets, visit indydesignweek.com/2025.
Picture That
A CLOSE LOOK AT KEVIN RABER’S PHOTOGRAPHY CAREER
Writer / Ryan Gabbert
Photographer / Kevin Raber
Kevin Raber
photography studio, developed software for photographers, and even launched his own website, photopxl.com.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but how many words does it take to sum up a career in photography? Whatever the number, it is surely not enough to do justice to the incredible career of Kevin Raber.
Raber is a world-renowned photographer whose career has been anything but ordinary.
Originally from Philadelphia, he began his photography journey when he first picked up a camera at age 12, and never looked back. Drawing inspiration from legendary photographers like Ansel Adams, Jay Maisel and Ray Metzker, Raber was driven to master
his craft and push the boundaries of his creativity.
Throughout high school, college and beyond, his dedication has never wavered. Countless nights and weekends were spent in dark rooms, developing pictures and learning. Through it all, his passion for photography remained his guiding force.
Although his career has taken him down many different paths, Raber has always viewed life through a camera lens. In the early years of his career, Raber worked as a portrait photographer, established a commercial
Photopxl.com serves as a thriving community where photographers can connect, share their experiences, learn from others and refine their craft. The website also features many articles covering a wide variety of topics related to photography, including gear reviews, image editing, printing techniques and more. For those looking to deepen their understanding of photography, PhotoPXL is an invaluable resource.
In 2004 Raber took his passion for photography a step further by founding Rockhopper Workshops, leading photographers on immersive expeditions to some of the world’s most remote and
“IN ANTARCTICA YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PHOTOGRAPH THINGS THAT NO ONE ELSE WILL BE ABLE TO PHOTOGRAPH: ICEBERGS, SNOW MELT - IT ALL CHANGES. IT’S A DYNAMIC LANDSCAPE.”
- KEVIN RABER
Antarctica
breathtaking locations. After all, the best shots aren’t captured from the comfort of a hotel pool.
“I take them to really remarkable places where they can take remarkable photos, experience something out of their comfort zone and return with an unforgettable memory,” Raber says.
Leading these workshops has taken Raber across the globe and allowed him to meet photographers from all walks of life. He has led workshops in picturesque landscapes such as the Palouse wheat lands in southeast Washington, an abandoned Soviet coal mining outpost of Pyramiden on the island of Svalbard, and the breathtaking expanses of Antarctica - a place he has visited 24 times, and where he even got married 10 years ago.
For Raber, the true reward is not just the opportunity to travel to amazing locations; it’s more about passing on the knowledge he’s gained throughout his career and
helping fellow photographers refine their craft. He finds great joy in helping other photographers as they grow and develop their skills.
“I really just wanna pay it forward,” says Raber. “I guess you could say my goal right now is educating other people who are interested in photography, and sharing my 50-some-odd years of experience to help them find the same joy that I found in my photography.”
Raber moved to Carmel in 2002 and has felt at home here ever since. He now teaches various photography classes at the Indianapolis Art Center and became their artist in residence in 2022. This role not only allows Raber to teach classes and his workshops, but also gives him access to a traditional darkroom and the other resources that the Art Center has to offer.
Embracing both classic and modern photography techniques, Raber teaches
classes about everything from traditional photography and editing to smartphone photography courses.
When asked about how someone might break into photography today, Raber acknowledged the ever-evolving landscape of the industry.
“I think photography as a whole is changing quite a bit; a lot of it is now getting handled by mobile phones,” says Raber. “I teach a mobile phone photography course. I lecture on mobile phone photography all over the place. Considering I used to work with some of the biggest cameras in the world such as the Phase One 150mp XT, what you can do with a mobile phone these days with the apps and the images is quite remarkable. I think the best thing to do is learn how to take pictures starting with your mobile phone. If it is something that you enjoy, then step up to a larger camera.”
Though Raber has been a trailblazer in the
shift to digital photography, he still holds a deep appreciation for the traditional ways. For him, a photograph isn’t truly complete until it’s printed.
“You don’t have a photograph until you hold it in your hands,” he says. “Everybody puts images online and digitally in the cloud, but that does nothing. It’s a fleeting moment and it’s gone. You never get a chance to really appreciate and dive into it. “
No one knows what the future holds or where life will take them, but whatever happens, you can be assured that Raber will have a camera in his hands.
Looking ahead, Raber will continue to teach his classes at the Indianapolis Art Center as well as lead photography expeditions to some of the most remote environments on the planet. The next generation of photographers have a lot of catching up to do, but they can be assured that they are in expert hands. Raber’s passion for both photography and teaching makes him an invaluable mentor, ensuring his impact and work will endure for generations to come.
If you would like more information about Kevin Raber or any of his photography offerings, you can visit kevinraber.com, photopxl.com, and rockhopperworkshops.com. You can find info on his courses at the Indy Art Center at indyartcenter.org.
EXPLORE AT THE SPEED OF INDY.
Photo: Butler University Holcomb Observatory & Planetarium / Visit Indy
MADNESS
Presented by @indy_brunch_couple
Hi! We’re Elyse & RC Thorne and we run the social media account @ IndyBrunchCouple. We started our account out of a love for local food and wanting to find the next best brunch in the city, and it’s blossomed over the last six years to exploring the full Indy food scene and foodie-centric local events. We live downtown Indy
and absolutely love the vibrant & delicious culture. When we are not noshing our way through the city we are working to fund that next meal! Elyse is a nurse practitioner and RC is a real estate agent. Every spring we host Brunch Madness, where our followers vote from 64 restaurants all the way down to just one to crown the best brunch
in the city. The winning restaurant wins bragging rights and a trophy to display for all to see & celebrate. Voting happens in our Instagram stories and begins March 15th. May the most delicious brunch win!
Cheers, Elyse & RC
FOLLOW ALONG ALL MONTH
TAKE A TASTE
CHAO VIETNAMESE STREET FOOD CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF
(L) Dr. Huong Vu / Owner (R) Carlos Villagran / Owner & Chef
The owners of Chao Vietnamese Street Food will celebrate 10 years this fall, and it’s all because college friends - one born and raised in Mexico and the other born and raised in Vietnam - put their skills and heads together to create the popular restaurant.
Dr. Huong Vu visits Vietnam every year, working with a nonprofit team of dentists and hygienists to help the people with their dental needs. It’s her home and she loves giving back, but living in the U.S., she noticed early on that one thing was missing.
“My business partner, Huong, is an incredible visionary,” said Co-owner and Chef Carlos Villagran. “When she was going to dental school, she noticed there wasn’t any Vietnamese food near the campus. In fact, years later she took her daughter to Vietnam to visit, and when they returned, they realized there still wasn’t true Vietnamese food in the area.”
Over the years Villagran was working on his passions - all of them.
“In college I majored in business management and entrepreneurship with a minor in music performance and pre-law,” Villagran said. “Basically I paid my way through college by dancing and playing music, and I worked in restaurants. I’ve worked in Mexican restaurants, French restaurants and others. It didn’t take long to pick up Vietnamese because though the flavors are very different, there’s a lot of French influence there.”
Ten years ago their passions came together to launch a Vietnamese restaurant with traditional flavors - one that Vietnamese natives would approve. They started with a few basic offerings on the menu.
“[Huong Vu] had the vision to open the restaurant and wanted something healthy and fast,” Villagran said. “I think we were only the third or fourth Vietnamese place in
Indy. We started with a few fresh, traditional and very classic Vietnamese meals.”
Phò, a rice noodle soup flavored with various spices, meats and vegetables, bánh, a crispy baguette with a variety of fillings, and bún and com (noodles and rice) dishes were offered.
From there, Villagran began experimenting.
“We added a few things, almost by accident in some cases,” Villagran said. “We have the Chao Fries, topped with lemongrass pork, pickled daikon, carrots and homemade spicy mayo. I make Vietnamese-style tacos with pork belly, pickled daikon, spicy mayo and avocado cream sauce. Tacos aren’t a Vietnamese dish, but I made it as part of an event downtown and they were so popular, we kept them on the menu.”
They added “Street Food” to their restaurant name because it means something to both of them.
“Everywhere I’ve ever been, the most flavorful food is at the street vendors in my opinion,” Villagran said. “I grew up in Mexico City and my mom had a stand on the Main Avenue. It was some of the best you could get. A lot of people like to eat the street food because it is made right in front of you too. They would choose it over a sitdown restaurant.”
He’s taken a page from street-food vendors and makes everything in-house, from scratch - even the ice creams he offers for the popular Bubble Waffles.
“When Huong’s family escaped from Vietnam, they were picked up by a ship and stayed in a refugee camp in Hong Kong for a long time,” Villagran said. “She remembers going to the market with her two younger siblings and breaking a bubble waffle apart to share between them. They’re technically a food from Hong Kong but they’re popular and mean something to us.”
In addition to the homemade ice cream, customers can top the Bubble Waffle off with crushed chocolate or berries for new flavors.
By now Villagran thinks he has the Vietnamese recipes down to a science, but in the beginning it took a while to receive the approval of the Vietnamese community.
“The Vietnamese are incredibly lovely people but they don’t sugarcoat things,” he said. “Huong is a lovely woman, probably the best human I’ve ever met, but she’ll say, ‘This was not good. You need to try better.’ It comes from a place of love.”
For about a year he was told, “This is terrible. You need to fix this.” Eventually the Vietnamese residents, and residents across Indianapolis, regardless of their background or culture, were coming in to check the food out.
“Perhaps the best compliment I’ve ever had in my cooking career was on a busy day,” Villagran said. “An older lady got up from her table, walked back into the kitchen, and when we stopped her, she said she thought her Vietnamese friend was back there cooking.”
Moving forward, Villagran said they would
love to find a spot to expand. For now, they’ll continue to improve the menu and add popular items.
It’s a unique offering for customers like Huong Vu, who miss traditional and authentic Vietnamese food.
Visit chaovietstreetfood.com for more information.
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FRESH FOCUS
ABERDEEN SOCIAL HOUSE BRINGS COOL CULINARY CONCEPT TO THE NORTH SIDE
Writer / Melissa Gibson
Photographer / Michael Durr
It’s the newest restaurant project by Rootstock Hospitality Group, LLC, and is meant to bring a unique experience to Indianapolis’s north side.
Aberdeen Social House opened on December 2 and is the work of business partners Andrew Vudis and Ryan Craig, restaurateurs behind Another Broken Egg, Capri and others.
“Our company is always looking to open something that fits our brand and when this property became available, we really created a concept to fill a need in the area,” Vudis said. “When Chef Bruce Starr and I talked about the direction we wanted to go in, we knew people were used to the steakhouse or Chinese, etcetera, so we went with world fusion and American comfort classics with a contemporary twist.”
Think high-end restaurant and large-scale venue with something on the menu for everyone.
“Everyone has a different palate,” Vudis said. “I do more of the culinary part of our company and enjoy taking something that sounds fancy but is really pork belly pared with this or that. It’s creating dishes you wouldn’t find anywhere else.”
Starr is the culinary director for Rootstock and will serve as opening chef at Aberdeen. He’s bringing a couple of Capri favorites to the new restaurant, including lasagna and the popular appetizer, stuffed pepper.
“We wanted people to know that we’re part of the same family and it fit with what we were
Shea Parthun / General Manager
Jonathan Meza / Chef
“One of our bestselling appetizers is the A-5 Wagyu Pierogi,” Vudis said. “The Smoked Short Rib and the Seasonal Salmon are both crowd favorites.”
The menu includes prime ribeye, a smash burger, chicken - and don’t forget the wine selection. Much like their menu, the Rootstock team carefully selected the perfect wine parings for each dish, including timeless classics to bold new discoveries.
For the foodies out there, Vudis said the brunch menu includes the Shogun Benedict and the Shakshuka - maybe not for everyone, but everyone can find something.
One of their main goals was not to have topselling appetizers and entrées. Every item on the menu is worth a try.
“I’ve worked in restaurants and when I go to a restaurant, I’ll often ask the server to bring me their favorite thing on the menu - not what everyone else orders, not the number-one seller, just whatever you think is best on the menu,” Vudis said. “They’re typically really in tune to what’s good, and I think if you asked five servers at Aberdeen the same question, you’d get at least four different answers.”
Vudis said he and Craig worked with Starr in the past. Bringing him in for such a large undertaking was important because he shares a passion for food and, more importantly, a
passion for the entire concept.
“Together we are taking decades of restaurant experience and thinking through every little detail,” Vudis said. “We’ve received a lot of compliments about the decor. It’s different; it’s beautiful. From the art on the walls to the music we play, I think it’s something fresh for this area and looks like it belongs in a bigger, East Coast city.”
So far the smart-casual dress code has brought in plenty of locals, and news of the new arrival is spreading by word of mouth.
Vudis said they want Aberdeen Social House to serve as that place you can go without a special occasion.
“This is not a stuffy place,” he said. “You won’t feel underdressed and you don’t need a reason to go and have a lobster or a steak on a Tuesday evening. We want to be different but very approachable. If you look at how we prepare some of these meals, it’s not something you’d typically see, and I think that’s part of the appeal. For example, a lot of people like the Tuna Tartare. We looked at how to upgrade it a bit and our tuna comes with saffron, one of the most luxurious ingredients you can get.”
No longer do residents on the northside have to travel to downtown Indianapolis or Keystone at the Crossing for upscale dining options.
“We’ve been hearing people say they’re excited to have a place closer to home,” Vudis said. “We want to give them a great space to come and have a great meal, enjoy the art, enjoy the music and enjoy time together.”
Aberdeen Social House is located at at 150 West 96th Street in Indianapolis. For more info, visit aberdeensocialhouse.com.
International Violin Competition of Indianapolis
2024-2025 Laureate Series
Tuesday, April 8 | 7:30 PM | The Cabaret NEARLY SOLD OUT Wednesday, April 9 | 7:30 PM | Hendricks Live! (Plainfield)
TAKE3
Born out of the practice rooms of the country’s top conservatories, TAKE3 lives at the intersection where pop, rock and classical fusion collide. Their unmistakable style and infectious joy in music making can be witnessed in two performances in Central Indiana!
Enjoy an intimate setting at The Cabaret with catering provided by The Jazz Kitchen (April 8), or in an amplified co-production with Hendricks Live! at their newly-constructed performing arts center in Plainfield (April 9).
Tuesday, May 6 | 7:30 PM | Indiana History Center
2022 Silver MedaliSt Julian rhee with pianiSt ChelSea wang
Julian Rhee, 2022 IVCI Silver Medalist and winner of the 2024 Avery Fisher Career Grant, closes out the 24/25 IVCI Laureate Series with a recital featuring an eclectic program including Schnittke, Schubert, Auerbach and Kreisler. He will be joined by guest pianist Chelsea Wang.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
AMERICAN PIANO AWARDS IS MUCH MORE THAN A MUSIC COMPETITION
Writer / Renée Larr
Photographer / Sarah Browning
Since its inception in 1979, American Piano Awards (APA) has grown into one of the most prestigious piano competitions in the country. It not only fosters the careers of young pianists, but also enriches the Indianapolis community through world-class performances. Originally founded in New York as the Beethoven Foundation, the organization relocated to Indianapolis in 1982, establishing its longstanding reputation as a central force in piano artistry.
Under the leadership of Chris Williams, president and CEO, APA has continued to evolve, expanding its reach and impact. The competition, which alternates between classical and jazz categories, has played a vital role in supporting American pianists on the international stage. Through generous financial awards, professional management and an extensive concert schedule, winners receive career-transforming opportunities far beyond the competition.
The 2024 APA competition is already underway and proving to be a historical moment in the prestigious award’s history. Five extraordinary classical pianists are vying for the coveted title. This year marks the first time that three of the five finalists are women.
The five finalists have been carefully selected through a blind audition process, ensuring a level playing field. The process begins with a confidential nomination system through which a select group of experts recommends candidates. Nominees submit their materials, and a distinguished jury listens to audio recordings without knowing the performers’ identities. The top-five musicians advance to the final stage of the competition, where they perform a series of public concerts and adjudicated performances.
This year’s finalists bring a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences:
Elliot Wuu: A New York-based pianist and recent Juilliard graduate, Wuu is a Young
Steinway Artist with an impressive resume. His refined technique and expressive playing have already made him a standout performer.
Avery Gagliano: The youngest contestant, Gagliano hails from Philadelphia and is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music. She is currently studying in Kronberg, Germany, furthering her artistic development.
Michael Davidman: Based in Madrid, Spain, Davidman’s participation is particularly notable, as he previously competed in APA’s 2021 cycle.
Angie Zhang: A West Coast pianist, Zhang is no stranger to Indianapolis, having previously performed with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. She is also known for her extensive sneaker collection.
Sasha Kasman Laude: A Utah-based pianist and faculty member at Utah State University, she comes from a distinguished musical lineage; her father, Yakov Kasman, was a major competition medalist.
One unique aspect of American Piano Awards is its commitment to community engagement. While many competitions focus solely on performance, APA ensures that its finalists have a deep connection with Indianapolis through outreach programs and immersive experiences. Each finalist spends about a week in Indianapolis, engaging in concerts at Eskenazi Hospital through the Marianne Tobias Music Program, school performances at the Indianapolis Public School system, and collaborations with local musicians and organizations.
This immersive approach allows pianists to hone their performance skills in varied settings and fosters meaningful interactions with the community. The competition’s culmination occurs from March 31 to April 5, with the final performances at the Hilbert Circle Theatre with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
Each finalist performs a concert featuring a
solo repertoire and a concerto performance with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. The final performances, held at the Hilbert Circle Theatre with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, are a culmination of their hard work and talent. A five-person, world-class jury evaluates the finalists throughout the competition, making the final decision based on a cumulative scoring system. The winner is announced April 5, marking the beginning of a transformative career journey for the winner.
The APA grand prize is not just about prestige; it’s a comprehensive, careerlaunching package valued at over $200,000, making it one of the most significant awards in piano music. Each of the five finalists receives $25,000, with the grand-prize winner receiving additional funding, a recording contract with the Steinway & Sons label, a national recital and concerto tour, a two-year residency at the University of Indianapolis, a featured performance with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and public relations and career
management support for two years.
This extensive support catapults the winner into the professional music scene, offering opportunities to perform, record and establish a lasting career. American Piano Awards isn’t just about the competition; it’s an organization that operates year-round, presenting concerts and supporting past laureates.
APA presents a concert series between competition cycles featuring past winners and finalists at venues across Indianapolis, such as the Jazz Kitchen, Indiana Landmarks, and the Cabaret. This initiative ensures that the APA community remains engaged and continues to foster musical excellence.
As a nonprofit organization, APA relies on the support of music lovers, donors and volunteers to further its mission. Community members are encouraged to attend the finals, support community concerts, donate, sponsor and volunteer.
Williams says APA offers audiences a transformative experience - a chance to escape into the power of music, even if just for a moment. “It’s amazing that America’s biggest piano competition is right here in Indianapolis,” Williams says. “These performances aren’t just about competition, but about creating moments of beauty and inspiration in a complex world.”
Whether you’re a dedicated classical music fan or simply curious about the world of piano performance, APA is an event worth experiencing. With a talented group of finalists, a strong commitment to community engagement and life-changing opportunities for the winner, the APA continues to set the gold standard for music competitions worldwide.
For more information about tickets, events or ways to support, visit americanpianoawards.org.
DISCOVERY
BUTLER ESPORTS CAMP SUMMER ADVENTURES AT BUTLER
For students entering 1st–7th grade. With a variety of themes spread over five weeks this summer, young chefs, artists, farmers, architects, astronauts, and more will find their ideal camp adventure.
For students ages 12–18. Campers of all skill levels will join teams, participate in tournaments, and sharpen their skills at Butler’s stateof-the-art Esports Park.
For students of all ages, youth to adult, BCAS offers performing arts camps including Strings, Piano, Percussion, Hip Hop, Jazz, Theatre, and more.
