Alexander Kobrin is the winner of numerous international piano competitions - notably the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. He also won top prizes at the Neigauz, Busoni, Hamamatsu, Glasgow, Caltanissetta, and the Warsaw Chopin International Competitions, as well as receiving numerous special awards for his brilliant technique and musicality, and for emotionally engaging with the audience through music.
Since receiving the prestigious Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Gold Medal at the Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in June 2005, Kobrin solidified his reputation with an outstanding first tour of the United States, including recitals at Bass Hall for the Cliburn Series and for the Washington Performing Arts Society, followed by further debuts at La Roque d’Antheron, Ravinia Festival, Beethoven Easter Festival, Hannover Prize winners Series, Turner Sims and at the renowned Klavier-Festival Ruhr, with critics praising his “interpretative musicianship [and] considerable insight,” “elegance, grace and spirit.”
He now divides his time between performing around the world and teaching - and is “glad to have this balance between performing and teaching … trying to continue on the path of the emotional approach [to music].” Alexander Kobrin has been a real inspiration to many students. He served on the faculty of the Gnessin’s Academy of Music from 2003 to 2010; since 2006 he has been on the faculty of the IKIF at Mannes College of Music. He comes to NYU Steinhardt from the Schwob School of Music of Columbus State University.
Born in 1980 in Moscow, Kobrin started playing the piano aged 5 and was enrolled at Gnessin’s Special School of Music. He completed his studies there with Tatiana Zelikman, went on to further his skills at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatoire with Lev Naumov, completing his post-graduate studies at age 23. Alexander has always felt that there is a very special connection between teaching and self-development, believing the two to be integrally linked: the exchange of experience, musicianship and emotion always being at the forefront of his priorities as a performer.