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Winning the gold medal in the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition sets a musician apart and confirms that his or her talents are top-notch. That's why the Steinway Society the Bay Area knew it wasn't taking a gamble when, in planning its 2005-06 season, it booked the 2005 Van Cliburn gold medal winner before the competition had even taken place.
The prestigious competition's 2005 gold medalist, who is now known to be young Russian pianist Alexander Kobrin, will perform on March 26, at 7 p.m. at Le Petit Trianon, 72 N. Fifth St., San Jose.
"It's the preeminent piano competition," Patric Nikolas, president of the Steinway Society the Bay Area, says of the Van Cliburn competition. "It's like winning an Oscar."
He notes that simply participating in the Van Cliburn competition can raise artists' profiles and demonstrate the caliber of their talents. The competition, which is dedicated to discovering the world's next great pianists, is held every four years. In addition to substantial cash prizes, winners receive concert management services, and perform on extensive international tours.
Kobrin is already at home in the international spotlight, with a résumé that includes performances throughout Europe, Asia and South America. He has also garnered the top prizes in several other international competitions. His performance for the Steinway Society features Brahms' Two Rhapsodies, Op. 79, and Fantasies, Op. 116 and Rachmaninoff's Etudes-Tableaux, Op. 39.
Steinway Society audiences are no strangers to the musical artistry of other Van Cliburn gold medalists. In fact, the society has presented concerts featuring the past two Van Cliburn winners. Jon Nakamatsu, the competition's 1997 gold medalist, is a particularly well-known name in the Bay Area, since he is a South Bay native. Audiences saw him up close and personal in a 2004 concert at the Steinway Society. Russian pianist Olga Kern has performed several well-received recitals at the Steinway Society since she won the Van Cliburn gold medal in 2001.
Bringing acclaimed rising talents to a local stage may offer special events for South Bay music lovers, but such concerts also reflect the Steinway Society's everyday standards.
"It's indicative of the quality of art that the Steinway Society is committed to bringing to the Bay Area," Nikolas says. "I wanted audiences to know that they were at a great piano concert, and that it was right in their own backyard."
The society's next concert is its annual Young Artists' Concert on April 23.
Kobrin tickets are currently sold out. For more information, call 408.295.6500 or visit www.steinwaythebayarea.com.
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