zubkovsky won top prizes at the several international competitions, including diploma at the international jeunesses musicales competition in belgrade, yugoslavia, second prize at the international cello competition in minsk, belarus, and the grand prix at the first tansman international competition of musical personalities in łódź, poland. as part of the prize, he recorded a cd on dux label and was invited to perform alexandre tansman's fantasie with lodz philharmonic under conductor paweł przytocki.