University of Indianapolis and APA partnership
Photo courtesy of American Piano Awards and Mark Sheldon Photography
Michael Davidman
- 2025 American Piano Awards winner
- University of Indianapolis Artist-in-Residence
The University of Indianapolis continues its rich history of the performing arts with a unique partnership with the Indianapolis-based American Piano Awards.
The American Piano Awards, in partnership with the University of Indianapolis, is proud to offer something truly unique: the only major piano competition that includes an artist-in-residence position as part of its prize package.
This remarkable opportunity allows the American Piano Awards winner to gain invaluable experience and a prestigious credential that can support their path toward a future university teaching career. At the same time, students at UIndy benefit from rare, in-depth access to a world-class artist—through performances, lessons, lectures, and meaningful collaborations that can shape their musical journey for years to come.
It’s a powerful exchange of artistry, mentorship, and inspiration—at the heart of what makes the American Piano Awards so distinctive.
Born and raised in Manhattan, Michael Davidman’s family has a rich musical history. His paternal great-grandmother was an accompanying pianist for silent films in Montreal; a great-aunt, Joy Davidman, was a poet and child prodigy in music who later married the writer C. S. Lewis; and Michael’s father was a jazz and rock drummer. Michael’s Italian maternal grandfather wrote popular music, and his maternal grandmother’s family possessed superb operatic voices. One of Michael’s aunts on his father’s side studied opera at Barnard. It should therefore not be surprising that music and especially singing were common in the Davidman house. As Michael became laser-focused on classical piano, his parents were accommodating, yet perplexed, given their own musical experience — which was not classical.
Michael was the youngest American Piano Awards finalist in 2021 and won the competition in 2025. He completed his Masters of Music at Juilliard and his Doctorate of Music at Park University’s International Center for Music. He recently studied with Stanislav Ioudenitch at the Reina Sofía School of Music in Madrid.
A dedicated and disciplined young musician, Michael has won numerous piano competitions, including the 2022 Long-Thibaud International Piano Competition, the 2019 Juilliard Gina Bachauer Competition, and the 2025 American Piano Awards. Davidman also received a four-year scholarship from the Chopin Foundation of the United States.
As soloist, he has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Orchestre Symponique de la Garde Republicaine, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Freixenet Encuentro Symphony Orchestra, Symphonicity, Monterey Symphony and Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
An opera enthusiast from a very young age, Michael delights in uploading historical and rare opera recordings to his YouTube channel called PucciniMD and in accompanying opera singers on special occasions on “opera night” at a New York City restaurant.