![Kobrin Headshot 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Kobrin_Headshot_1.jpg)
Alexander Yevgenyevich Kobrin (Александр Кобрин, born 20 March 1980 in
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
) is a concert pianist and teacher.
At age five, he enrolled in the
Gnessin Special School of Music
The Gnessin State Musical College (russian: link=no, Государственный музыкальный колледж имени Гнесиных) and Gnesins Russian Academy of Music (russian: Российская академия музык ...
in Moscow where his primary teacher was Tatiana Zelikman. When he turned eighteen, he enrolled at the
Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory, also officially Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (russian: Московская государственная консерватория им. П. И. Чайковского, link=no) is a musical educational inst ...
, as a student of the legendary teacher,
Lev Naumov
Lev Nikolayevich Naumov (russian: Лев Никола́евич Нау́мов; 12 February 1925, Rostov – 21 August 2005, Moscow) was a Russian classical pianist, composer and educator. Received a title of People's Artist of Russia and was ...
, and he holds a graduate degree from that institution.
As a teenager, Kobrin won several youth piano competitions, but he won his first adult competition, the Scottish International Piano Competition when he was 18. The next year, in 1999, he won the
Busoni Competition, after several years in which the first prize had not been awarded because no competitor's performances had been deemed worthy. In 2000, the year
Yundi Li
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, death_place =
, alma_mater = Shenzhen Arts School Musikhochschule Hannover
, years_active = 1994–present
, o ...
was the winner, Kobrin was third at the
XIV International Chopin Piano Competition
The XIV International Chopin Piano Competition ( pl, XIV Międzynarodowy Konkurs Pianistyczny im. Fryderyka Chopina) was held from 4 to 22 October 2000 in Warsaw. Li Yundi of China won the First Prize, becoming the first Chinese pianist to do so ...
in
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
. Kobrin later won the top prize at Japan's
Hamamatsu
is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. the city had an estimated population of 791,707 in 340,591 households, making it the prefecture's largest city, and a population density of . The total area of the site was .
Overview
...
competition.
In June 2005 he won the
Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (The Cliburn) is an American piano competition by The Cliburn, first held in 1962 in Fort Worth, Texas and hosted by the Van Cliburn Foundation. Initially held at Texas Christian University, the co ...
. Among his prizes included a $20,000 cash award, a compact disc recording, concert tours, and professional management both in the United States and Europe, a professional attire stipend and subsidized travel in the United States.
Even before his Cliburn victory, Kobrin maintained an extensive schedule of engagements in Europe and Asia. He has performed with the
Moscow Virtuosi
The Moscow Virtuosi is a chamber orchestra founded in 1979 by Vladimir Spivakov, who has been the orchestra's conductor, soloist and creative director ever since.
In 1982, the orchestra received the name "State Chamber Orchestra of the Ministry ...
, the
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (OSR) is a Swiss symphony orchestra, based in Geneva at the Victoria Hall. In addition to symphony concerts, the OSR performs as the opera orchestra in productions at the Grand Théâtre de Genève.
History
Er ...
, the Virtuosi of Salzburg Chamber Orchestra, the
Moscow State Symphony Orchestra The Moscow State Symphony Orchestra (MSSO) is a Russian orchestra, based in Moscow. The orchestra gives concerts primarily at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, and at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall. As well, the orchestra gives concerts in ...
, the Rio de Janeiro Symphonic Orchestra, the
English Chamber Orchestra
The English Chamber Orchestra (ECO) is a British chamber orchestra based in London. The full orchestra regularly plays concerts at Cadogan Hall, and their ensemble performs at Wigmore Hall. The orchestra regularly tours in the UK and internationall ...
, and the Osaka and Tokyo Symphony Orchestras. Since then, he has performed with countless other orchestras, including The
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic, officially the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc., globally known as New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) or New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra based in New York City. It is ...
,
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic is a music organisation based in Liverpool, England, that manages a professional symphony orchestra, a concert venue, and extensive programmes of learning through music. Its orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmon ...
,
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is an American orchestra based in Dallas, Texas. Its principal performing venue is the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in the Arts District of downtown Dallas.
History
The orchestra traces its origins to a ...
, and many more.
Kobrin has received many exceptional concert reviews, including The New York Times stating that "He surrendered neither the smoothness nor the dynamic fluidity that the modern piano allows, and he gave his sense of fantasy free rein ... creating an almost confessional spirit."
Kobrin is especially interested in the music of the classical and romantic periods. He has recorded an all-Chopin compact disc along with the compact disc of some of his performances at the Van Cliburn competition. Quartz Music and Centaur Records have produced many well-known recordings by Kobrin, including his most recent Complete Chopin Sonatas album. Kobrin formerly taught at the Gnessin State Academy of Music in Moscow, but in the fall of 2009, he relocated to the United States. He has taught at the Schwob School of Music at
Columbus State University
Columbus State University is a public university in Columbus, Georgia. Founded as Columbus College in 1958, the university was established and is administered by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
History
The university w ...
and the
Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
The New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development (commonly referred to as Steinhardt) is the secondary liberal arts and education school of New York University. It is one of the only schools in the world of i ...
at
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, the ...
. Kobrin joined the piano faculty at the
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York. It was established in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman.
It offers Bachelor of Music (B.M ...
in the fall of 2017. He continues to perform, mainly as a soloist and chamber musician, and frequently appears as a jury member at international piano competitions.
References
External links
Fort Worth Star-Telegram Guide to the 12th Van Cliburn Competition - King of the CliburnColumbus State University Schwob School of Music Faculty Page
Personal Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kobrin, Alexander
1980 births
Living people
Prize-winners of the Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition
Prize-winners of the International Chopin Piano Competition
Prize-winners of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Russian classical pianists
Male classical pianists
Russian classical musicians
Moscow Conservatory alumni
Gnessin State Musical College faculty
Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development faculty
Columbus State University faculty
Eastman School of Music faculty
Russian expatriates in the United States
Centaur Records artists