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.
Sebagai seorang remaja, Kobrin memenangkan beberapa kompetisi piano anak muda, tetapi ia memenangkan pertama kalinya kompetisi orang dewasa, Kompetisi Piano Internasional Skotlandia ketika ia berusia 18 tahun.