By Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter
Dallas, TX –
Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter: It didn't seem to matter, said returning Cliburn judge Menahem Pressler, a world-renowned pianist. Whether Alexander Kobrin was playing solo works by Schumann or Chopin, a Brahms piece with a string quartet, or "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" by Rachmaninoff for full orchestra, the 25-year-old Moscow native set himself apart with talent and modesty.
Menahem Pressler, 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Judge: He's a magnificent young pianist, but more than just a magnificent pianist. He's a musician with a point of view. What I loved also, you saw how he took a bow in back of the piano? He didn't, so to speak, milk the audience. He sat down, played the program, one work after the other, with complete concentration. I felt wonderful about it.
Zeeble: That modesty revealed itself after Kobrin and the others received their awards and talked to reporters. One asked the gold medalist if he ever felt disappointed by his playing. His answer was immediate.
Alexander Kobrin, 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Gold Medalist: Yes, today. I couldn't recover well from last night's performance. I was exhausted and today I felt I couldn't do all my best which I was supposed to do.
Zeeble: Both Kobrin and silver medalist Joyce Yang, a 19-year-old audience favorite from South Korea, agreed the additional final-round recital, added this year to the 17-day competition, was too taxing. After all, said Yang, some finalists, including her, gave three major performances in three days.
Joyce Yang, 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Silver Medalist: The final recital was too much for me. Right in between two concerti was the big challenge. After the big Beethoven, I was scheduled for a dress rehearsal that afternoon. Playing that, and during rehearsal I was playing Prokofiev, thinking about Beethoven's 3rd and worrying about the recital. If I could, I'd omit the final recital.
Zeeble: Kobrin and 3rd place winner Sa Chen, a 25-year-old pianist from China, agreed. If possible, said the gold medalist, maybe the next competition here could add an extra day for preparation. But Van Cliburn Foundation president Richard Rodzinski said that's not likely. As tough as this marathon-like contest is, he said a jury member told him it's nothing compared to the real world.
Richard Rodzinski, President, Van Cliburn Foundation: They said, "Look, one night I perform in one place, then fly or take train, go through security, rehearse, give a concert that evening, then pack, take a plane, then to a Saturday matinee, and play again that evening." This then, they look back at as duck soup. They don't know it yet but it's much harder out there.
Zeeble: The top three winners each receive $20,000 and concert bookings and management for three years. The difference may be the quality and quantity of those bookings. Joyce Yang alluded to the work the finalists face, now that they've won top honors in one of the world's most prestigious piano competitions.
Yang: I told myself that after this I'm ready for anything. Let me just get through this and it'll end. But it's not the end, it's the beginning now!
Zeeble: The top medalists are expected to perform this weekend at the Fort Worth Symphony's "Concerts in The Garden" series. The other three finalists - Davide Cabassi, Chu-Fang Huang, and Roberto Plano - receive $10,000, plus bookings and management. For KERA 90.1, I'm Bill Zeeble.
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