Komsky on the cusp of a career
Pop- operatic singer’s gathering traction from Chris Botti, national anthemgigs
Singer George Komsky had been pursuing the New England Patriots for more than a year. His goal was to sing the national anthem before one of the team’s home games.
In particular, the Danville native — and huge Tom Brady fan — really wanted to do “The StarSpangled Banner” when the Patriots squared off against the San Francisco 49ers. His wish finally came true — but the occasion turned out to be bigger than he could’ve ever anticipated.
The game fell on Dec. 16, just two days after the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. To his surprise, Komsky was to deliver the anthem as part of a major memorial, which also included a fireworks display, to be broadcast live on TV to nearly 18 million viewers.
“No one told me that the ( anthem) was going to be a part of the Newtown, Conn., memorial services and broadcast live,” recalls Komsky, who now lives in the Los Angeles area. “If the bitter cold, rain and 70,000 screaming Bostonians wasn’t enough, that little extra news surely would have made me overcome with anxiety.”
Yet Komsky came through with flying colors — as did the 49ers, who won the game in dramatic fashion, 41- 34. The occasion provided huge exposure for Komsky, who is now being asked to sing the national anthem at other major events. To wit, the vocalist will get the nod before the San Francisco Giants host bitter rivals the Los Angeles Dodgers at AT& T Park on Saturday.
“It’s so good to be asked to do anything— in any profession,” he says during a recent phone conversation. “In my profession, it’s an honor to be asked to sing our national anthem.”
Komsky’s stock is skyrocketing these days — and not just because he’s proving so capable at singing the “The Star- Spangled Banner” before tens of thousands of sports fans. It also has a lot to do with Chris Botti.
Komsky, a tenor who performs both opera and operatic pop, had wanted to sing with the superstar pop- jazz trumpeter for some time — and made his feelings known to people who worked for Botti. He was again rewarded for his persistence when he was chosen to sing on Botti’s tour of Central Asia in September. Since then, he’s been a regular at the trumpeter’s shows, handling numbers that call for an Andrea Bocellistyle voice. Notably, he performed at Botti’s concert with the San Francisco Symphony in November and then joined the bandleader for a run at New York’s famed Blue Note in December.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity and the confidence that it gave me to grow,” Komsky says. “Botti is one of the most incredible people I’ve been around. Everyone ( in his band) gets such a sweet introduction onstage and is treated with such respect.”
Now it’s time for Komsky to make the leap from sideman to solo artist.
The singer, who graduated from Monte Vista High School in Danville in 2003 and went on to UCLA, is currently working on his first solo record. He’s been recording songs in Germany, collaborating with acclaimed producer Frank Peterson, who is known for his work with Sarah Brightman and other A- list artists.
He’s trying something different on his debut. While many in the opera/ crossover profession stick to well- known material, Komsky will spotlight his own songs.
“If you want to forge your own identity,” he says, “you just can’t sing other people’s songs.”
Komsky has been singing since he was 8 years old, but he basically ranks as a newcomer when it comes to songwriting. Still, he says there’s a benefit to having waited this long before picking up the pen.
“Up until the age that I am now, which is 27, I don’t think I had a lot to say,” he says.
He’s also relatively new at working in the studio — especially in comparison to his time spent on the stage, which is where he first began to turn heads. Yet his fundamental goal for his music remains unchanged.
“Now that I am in the studio, the question is can I create something that touches people?” he says. “If folks are touched by what you do, and want to be a part of what you do, that’s what it’s all about for me.”
To learn more about this vocalist and to hear some of his songs, go to www. georgekomsky. com.