Glastonbury musician bringing Classical Crossover genre new acclaim
“If there’s one thing that came out of the pandemic, it’s that musicianship is back,” said James Norkawich, a Glastonbury musician who has used the “down time” during the pandemic to explore a genre that has been popular overseas, and has been helping to give it a boost here in the United States, specifically in Connecticut.
In a nutshell, Classical Crossovers are modern songs, reworked with classically-trained musicians and techniques. Some examples of Classical Crossover include works by Josh Groban and Michael Buble.
The genre, Norkawich said, is slowly building a following in the United States, in places like New York, Boston, and to a lesser extent, the Connecticut coast. Bringing it to the Hartford area, he said, is on his agenda.
The genre is also a way to connect younger generations with recent classic hits, as well as the classical style.
“You’re not copying something. You’re rebranding it and making it relevant,” he said. “We can take Billy Joel and redo it this way, and it’s encouraging for the young people. They’re rediscovering music that we grew up with. It honestly crosses all genres.”
A project that sprung from the pandemic is a song with United Kingdom vocalist Tyrone Piper, which is getting play in the U.K., Japan, China, and other countries. The song is a cover of Queen’s “Who Wants to Live Forever?”
“He’s a lovely gentleman - extremely talented - and we have similar backgrounds,” Norkawich said, adding that the song is intended to be uplifting in the times of the pandemic, as well as school shootings and other turmoil going on in the world.
“We saw what was going on, and I said, ‘We can heal. We can make change through music,’” he said. “It just made sense to do it at that particular time.”
Norkawich was also contacted by Queen, who said they loved his take on their song.
“They loved the interpretation and they loved the fact that it was done in a way that nobody had done,” he said. “It honored the musicianship of Freddy Mercury and Adam Lambert, but gave a nice, dark spin.”
Norkawich also recorded a version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” featuring vocalist Ellen Williams (a very popular classical vocalist on iTunes), as well as other songs that are gaining steam across the Atlantic and elsewhere. The ‘Hallelujah’ sales are going to support relief efforts for victims of the Ukranian conflict.
Opening doors for more musicians is another facet of the Classical Crossover genre. Norkawich said he hopes that foreign artists get more acclaim here in America, but he’s also looking to connect with local musicians to collaborate with.
“It’s nice that some outlets are picking up on my brand of it, and it’s all coming out of Glastonbury,” he said. “I’m trying to get other artists to work with me, as well.”
Norkawich grew up in Bridgeport and moved to Glastonbury approximately eight years ago. With a masters in music, Norkawich has had a 30-plus year career, primarily as a studio musician, with credits including work with Spyro Gyra, Chicago, and Tower of Power.
For more information, visit www.jamesanorkawich.com.
