Kenny Broberg Announced as Artist-in-Residence
The University of Indianapolis continues a rich history of the performing arts in a unique partnership with the Indianapolis-based American Pianists Association.
Kenny Broberg, the 2021 American Pianists Awards winner and Christel DeHaan Classical Fellow, will serve as the Artist-in-Residence at the University of Indianapolis for the next two years. Broberg succeeds Emmet Cohen, the 2019 American Pianists Awards winner and recipient of the Cole Porter Fellowship in Jazz.
“The Artist-in-Residence program continues to provide unique opportunities that connect our students with the expertise and talent of the American Pianists Association to help them navigate from the classroom to the concert hall. I am deeply proud of this partnership that creates a space for musical exploration for the entire community,” said University of Indianapolis President Robert L. Manuel. “We are grateful for the invaluable contributions of the previous artists-in-residence, Drew Petersen and Emmet Cohen. We extend our congratulations to Kenny Broberg on his tremendous achievement and we look forward to welcoming him to campus in the fall.”
The Christel DeHaan Classical Fellowship provides Broberg with a prize valued at $200,000 designed to assist him as he builds his musical career. It includes $50,000 in cash, a recording contract with Steinway & Sons, two years of professional development and assistance and performance opportunities worldwide.
Broberg will provide lessons to multiple students, present a two-hour master class and host performances during his time on campus as the Artist-in-Residence.
Dr. Joel Harrison, President/CEO and Artistic Director of the American Pianists Association, added, “We have greatly appreciated the support of the University of Indianapolis and most especially that of its president, Dr. Robert Manuel. The residency offers a superb opportunity for our winner to be in a strong academic setting, working with students not too different in age from our winner. And it gives the University of Indianapolis an excellent example to put forth of how valuable an educational and artistic experience can be in developing young artists. Everyone wins through this unique collaboration.”
About Kenny Broberg
Kenny Broberg, 26, is a Minneapolis native who won the silver medal at the 2017 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and the 2019 bronze medal winner at the International Tchaikovsky Competition, as well as winning prizes at the Hastings, Sydney, Seattle and New Orleans International Piano Competitions. He has appeared with the Royal Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestras, among others. Recent and upcoming highlights include his debut with the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra, residencies at the Montreal Symphony’s Festival Virée Classique, Rye Arts, Methow Chamber, Strings and Sunriver Music Festivals, recitals in Houston, Denver, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and Minneapolis, and in tours of Japan, Australia and Italy. He has been featured on NPR, WQXR, APM’s Performance Today, MPR and ABC (Australia) radio. His solo debut album was released in August 2017 on the Decca Gold label. Broberg studied for nine years with Dr. Joseph Zins before entering the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree with Nancy Weems in 2016. He currently resides in Parkville, Missouri, where he studies with Stanislav Ioudenitch at Park University.
About the American Pianists Association
The American Pianists Association has been supporting aspiring young artists for over 40 years and has been based in Indianapolis since 1982. It has a professional staff of seven, headed by Dr. Joel M. Harrison. The American Pianists Awards, held for both classical and jazz artists, offer significant opportunities for American pianists, ages 18-30, to advance their careers. Each winner receives a two-year fellowship, valued at over $100,000 including cash awards, fees, publicity and recording opportunities. All American Pianists Awards events are produced as public recitals and feature the finalists in a variety of settings. The organization greatly values the individual artistic sensibilities of each pianist, nurtures such individuality and does not impose any repertoire requirements during the competitions other than those necessary for the different genres. It is the intent of the American Pianists Awards to focus on artistic expression and not on competitive prowess. Further, the organization makes an effort to tailor its career assistance to suit the particular needs of the winner, offering an array of opportunities appropriate to the winner’s current career development and status. American Pianists Association strives to be the bridge between professional training and a full-fledged professional career.