Russian wins top medal in Van Cliburn contest

Russia's Alexander Kobrin, 25, won the gold medal Sunday night at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas, a prestigious 17-day contest known for launching classical music careers.

The silver medal went to Joyce Yang, 19, a native of South Korea. Sa Chen, 25, of China took third place. Each medalist wins $20,000 in cash, three years of concert tours and career management and the opportunity to record an album. Kobrin also will perform internationally.

Three other finalists — Davide Cabassi, 28, and Roberto Plano, 26, both of Italy, and China's Chu-Fang Huang, 22 — each won $10,000 as well as three years of tours and management.

The Cliburn contest, held every four years, is considered the premier competition for classical pianists worldwide.