I will be uploading these performances as I find the time. They will range from music for beginners to advanced. This is a lot of work because I have to digitize the original cassette tapes and process them to reduce the noise.
Except for the Saint Saens’ concerto (first one below) played by Mayo Tsuzuki, all are recordings from French School of Music Recitals held several times a year. Combe was the principal teacher and most of the recordings are from Combe’s students, but there were several other teachers at the school. Many of these pieces were competition pieces to be played at major New Jersey piano competitions, and most of them won first prizes in those age groups. Because these were recordings of actual recitals, you may hear some mistakes, accidents, and audience reactions.
Piano Concerto #2 in G minor, Op. 22 by Saint Saens (26 min.), Mayo Tsuzuki (piano) and the Ridgefield, CT, Orchestra. I have heard many recordings of this concerto by famous pianists, but this is the only performance that convinces me that “this is what Saint Saens had in mind when he composed it”. After establishing a sound foundation under Combe, Mayo studied (and learned this concerto while still in high school) under Canin at Juilliard and performed at the Young People's Concert with the New York Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta. Combe was about 86 years old and almost deaf, but attended this concert, as you will hear after the long applause at the end.
Please email me with any comments, suggestions, questions, etc., especially if you have difficulty playing the music files.