Yamaha Artist Alexander Kobrin: An Eye On The Future, Reverence For The Past
NEW YORK, N.Y. Alexander Kobrin's onstage professionalism and serious dedication to music, both as educator and award-winning classical pianist, are clearly evident. But, he is also an accomplished soccer player, a fan of 19th century German literature, and possesses an engaging personality and fun-loving spirit. And, it was his enjoyment of kicking back to converse and hoist a few glasses with friends and colleagues that first led him to form a relationship with Yamaha representatives in 2000, years before he became an official Yamaha artist.
Kobrin was in Warsaw, prior to capturing third place at the International Chopin Competition, and "some Yamaha people I knew called to ask if I'd like to come to their office for extra practice time on a Yamaha piano. It was the start of a friendship, first of all, but in the years that followed, I found myself choosing Yamaha pianos more and more often, especially in America," says Kobrin. "I really appreciate the many wonderful people working with Yamaha, and count them among my good friends, especially Stan Zielinski."
He arrived in the U.S. for the first time in 2005, after garnering top awards at the 1999 Busoni Competition and the 2003 Hamamatsu Competition, and extensive touring throughout Europe, South America and Asia. When Kobrin triumphed in what The Chicago Tribune calls, "the most prestigious classical piano competition in the world," the 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition by capturing the Gold Medal, he marked his arrival as a force to be reckoned with in a new generation. Subsequent debuts at Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Boulder Music Festival, La Roque d'Antheron (France), and Italy's Tuscan Sun Festival, and recording projects for Harmonia Mundi and the King label (Japan) furthered his upward trajectory.
Looking back, he says, "I was very happy to come to the United States for the Cliburn Competition. It was stressful, the trip was not for sightseeing or fun, but, once I arrived, I didn't feel the stress I expected to feel. The people in my host family in Fort Worth were just phenomenal, really fun."
The young pianist also hopes to meet Cliburn again. "When I first met him, the legend, at the Cliburn Competition, I cannot explain how wonderful it was. He was so open and gave of his time," says Kobrin. "He doesn't pretend to be a superstar, and he was so natural, so easy. I said, 'just talk, please,' that was all I needed him to do."
Kobrin's decision to become a Yamaha artist since September 2006 was an easy one. "Yamaha provides wonderful service, and I admire the pianos, especially the new 3000 series, and the technicians. The Yamaha pianos are extremely good. I like their brightness, and admire the sound and balance between all parts of the keyboard, especially the sound and touch. They are very comfortable to play. And the Yamaha technicians, if you ask them to do even one small thing, they do it easily. I am always satisfied with the Yamaha pianos." This past spring, Kobrin participated in Yamaha Artist Services, Inc.'s Master Class series. "It was lots of fun, and the kids were all wonderful," he says. "We worked onstage with two Yamaha pianos, one-on-one in front of the audience."
Yamaha provided a piano for Kobrin when he returned to NYC in July for the International Keyboard Institute & Festival (IKIF) at Mannes College. For his part, Kobrin will participate in a special concert series marking the 20th Anniversary of Yamaha Artist Services, Inc. this coming February.
The artist divides his time between Moscow, where he teaches at Gnessin State Academy of Music and Fort Worth, his home base in the U.S. as he prepares for another full season, including Chopin Festival (Cologne); Arts Academy (Rome); Brahms Festival, Royal Albert Hall (London); and recitals in Hong Kong and Singapore, among other engagements.
Asked where he hopes to be five or ten years from now, Kobrin replies, "doing much of the same, playing and teaching chamber music. I hope I'll be wealthy and healthy enough to continue and I hope people will still want to listen."
At 27, Kobrin epitomizes the commitment to tradition he associates with Cliburn, Vladimir Horowitz, Arthur Rubinstein, and other virtuosi of the piano's golden age. "Of course, when we compare ourselves to those great pianists, we'll always lose. But they give us great examples of how it should be done," he says. "They teach us that we are not presenting ourselves on the stage; we're presenting music that was composed by geniuses that came before us. And as long as we do the art and nothing else, perhaps people in the future will talk about the great performers of our day."
For more information, please visit www.alexkobrin.com or write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622, telephone (714) 522-9011, or e-mail infostation@yamaha.com.
 Yamaha Artist Alexander Kobrin |
He arrived in the U.S. for the first time in 2005, after garnering top awards at the 1999 Busoni Competition and the 2003 Hamamatsu Competition, and extensive touring throughout Europe, South America and Asia. When Kobrin triumphed in what The Chicago Tribune calls, "the most prestigious classical piano competition in the world," the 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition by capturing the Gold Medal, he marked his arrival as a force to be reckoned with in a new generation. Subsequent debuts at Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Boulder Music Festival, La Roque d'Antheron (France), and Italy's Tuscan Sun Festival, and recording projects for Harmonia Mundi and the King label (Japan) furthered his upward trajectory.
Looking back, he says, "I was very happy to come to the United States for the Cliburn Competition. It was stressful, the trip was not for sightseeing or fun, but, once I arrived, I didn't feel the stress I expected to feel. The people in my host family in Fort Worth were just phenomenal, really fun."
The young pianist also hopes to meet Cliburn again. "When I first met him, the legend, at the Cliburn Competition, I cannot explain how wonderful it was. He was so open and gave of his time," says Kobrin. "He doesn't pretend to be a superstar, and he was so natural, so easy. I said, 'just talk, please,' that was all I needed him to do."
Kobrin's decision to become a Yamaha artist since September 2006 was an easy one. "Yamaha provides wonderful service, and I admire the pianos, especially the new 3000 series, and the technicians. The Yamaha pianos are extremely good. I like their brightness, and admire the sound and balance between all parts of the keyboard, especially the sound and touch. They are very comfortable to play. And the Yamaha technicians, if you ask them to do even one small thing, they do it easily. I am always satisfied with the Yamaha pianos." This past spring, Kobrin participated in Yamaha Artist Services, Inc.'s Master Class series. "It was lots of fun, and the kids were all wonderful," he says. "We worked onstage with two Yamaha pianos, one-on-one in front of the audience."
Yamaha provided a piano for Kobrin when he returned to NYC in July for the International Keyboard Institute & Festival (IKIF) at Mannes College. For his part, Kobrin will participate in a special concert series marking the 20th Anniversary of Yamaha Artist Services, Inc. this coming February.
The artist divides his time between Moscow, where he teaches at Gnessin State Academy of Music and Fort Worth, his home base in the U.S. as he prepares for another full season, including Chopin Festival (Cologne); Arts Academy (Rome); Brahms Festival, Royal Albert Hall (London); and recitals in Hong Kong and Singapore, among other engagements.
Asked where he hopes to be five or ten years from now, Kobrin replies, "doing much of the same, playing and teaching chamber music. I hope I'll be wealthy and healthy enough to continue and I hope people will still want to listen."
At 27, Kobrin epitomizes the commitment to tradition he associates with Cliburn, Vladimir Horowitz, Arthur Rubinstein, and other virtuosi of the piano's golden age. "Of course, when we compare ourselves to those great pianists, we'll always lose. But they give us great examples of how it should be done," he says. "They teach us that we are not presenting ourselves on the stage; we're presenting music that was composed by geniuses that came before us. And as long as we do the art and nothing else, perhaps people in the future will talk about the great performers of our day."
For more information, please visit www.alexkobrin.com or write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622, telephone (714) 522-9011, or e-mail infostation@yamaha.com.