Monte Vista High Alumnus George Komsky Performing Solo Show at Lesher Center Tonight

As a 10-year-old growing up in the Tri-Valley, George Komsky used to sit in the backseat of his mother's car, imitating operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti. 

Komsky's grandfather, Leo, got George — who was born in Kiev, Ukraine and immigrated with his parents to the United States in 1988— voice lessons. The boy, now an opera singer performing his first solo show in Walnut Creek tonight, hasn't stopped singing since.

"My voice changed from boy alto to boy tenor in college," said Komsky.

Komsky, who graduated from Monte Vista high school in 2003, will perform before a sold-out audience of 300 at the Lesher Center for the Arts tonight.

I was "extremely surprised it sold out," said Komsky. "I felt honored and extremely happy. I just about had to sit down from joy. The concert is the fruition of months of work."

During high school Komsky was a member of the Monte Vista Chamber Chorus and performed in St. Paul's Basillica in Rome in 2001.

In 2003, he began his training at the University of Caliornia, Los Angeles' prestigious Opera program. Komsky took time off from the program at UCLA to perform as the lead soloist for Riverdance's 2004 North America tour. After Riverdance, Komsky was spotted in Hollywood in 2006 by producers for "America's Got Talent," and recruited for the show's first season which had 12 million viewers.

Komsky is a Leggiero Tenor, or Light Tenor, and now studies under vocal coach Seth Riggs, who also coached Barbara Streisand and Josh Groban.

He is currently preparing to auditon for the Los Angeles and San Francisco Operas in October.

The concert at the Lesher Center will include music from the "Barber of Seville," "Tosca" and "The Elixir of Love" and is about "the celebration of love, life and loss."

In attendance at the concert will be Komsky's parents, who live in Danville, grandparents from Walnut Creek, as well his extended family and friends.

Komsky says one of his goals is to contribute to charities through his work. A percentage of the ticket sales from tonight's performance will benefit the Danville-based non-profit organization the Wheelchair Foundation. The organization donates wheelchairs to people worldwide.

When he sings, Komsky said he thinks about how what he is singing can change the way people in the audience feel.

"Sometimes, I don't sing up to my standards and I'm hard on myself, but when I see it in others' eyes, I can't think of a better feeling in the world," said Komsky. "I can't believe I'm actually blessed enough to be able to sing."

Don't have a ticket for tonight's concert? You can also see a video of Komsky singing on You Tube.