
Olena Blagulyak is a Ukrainian pianist with a dynamic performance career based in Houston, TX. She holds a Doctorate in Piano Performance from the University of Houston, where she studied under the mentorship of Tali Morgulis and Timothy Hester. Olena currently serves as artist-in-residence at Kingwood Methodist Church and as the artistic director of the KMC Concert Series.
A versatile performing artist with a distinctive musical voice, Olena has appeared at many of Houston’s premier venues, including Zilkha Hall at the Hobby Center, Kawai Piano Gallery, Steinway&Sons Selection Center, the Moores Opera House, and the Museum of Fine Arts. Her most recent solo engagement with orchestra was a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Third Piano Concerto conducted by Franz Anton Krager ((March 2023). She was also featured as a guest artist with the Conroe Symphony Orchestra in their Tunes from the Toons program (October 2024).
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 marked the beginning of Olena’s collaboration with violist Nina Knight. Motivated by a profound sense of helplessness and a deep desire to support those displaced by the war, the duo launched their first season that focused on raising awareness and support for the global refugee crisis—particularly for Ukrainian refugees. Their program, No Way Home, featured works by composers who themselves experienced displacement, including Paul Hindemith, Rebecca Clarke, George Enescu, and Valentyn Silvestrov. Through this repertoire, the duo expressed their humanitarian commitment and artistic solidarity. Proceeds from the performances were donated to humanitarian organizations supporting refugees. Although the project is now inactive due to Nina's relocation to Florida, it remains one of Olena’s most meaningful and fulfilling artistic endeavors.
Olena’s passion for music was discovered and nurtured by her mother, a pianist and her first mentor. Among her most influential teachers were Sergei Riabov, Igor Riabov, and Josu de Solaun. She also received valuable artistic guidance through masterclasses with Vladimir Viardo, Guillermo Gonzales, David Dubal, and Simone Dinnerstein. Olena made her orchestral debut at the age of 14, performing Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 under the baton of Mykola Suk at the Vladimir Horowitz Summer Institute.
She graduated with highest honors from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Kyiv in 2009, earning a Master’s degree in Piano Performance. From a young age, Olena participated in numerous international competitions, earning first prize at the 2003 International Chamber Music Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia; the 2004 II Zatin International Competition in Ukraine; the Ella Phillip Competition in Romania (2007); and the Sam Houston State University Concerto Competition (2018), where she performed Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 16. ***
Olena has appeared as a guest artist at numerous international music festivals, including Ciudad Jamilena (2008 and 2009), Málaga Clásica in Spain (2016), and the Amelia Island Opera Company in Florida (2024). Her performance career spans performance engagements across the United States, Europe, and South America. A particularly meaningful highlight was her participation in a diplomatic mission organized by the Norwegian Embassy in Guatemala in 2016, where she performed alongside Spanish violinist Jesús Reina and his wife, Norwegian violinist Anna Margrethe Haugland Nilsen. During this mission, Olena also led masterclasses at the Guatemala City Conservatory and took part in a series of charity concerts.
In 2016, Olena decided to continue her musical education at Sam Houston State University in Texas. There, she studied under esteemed Spanish pianist Josu de Solaun and earned her second Master’s degree in Piano Performance in 2018. During her studies, she served as a teaching assistant, music director, and pianist for the university’s opera productions. From 2018 to 2019, she joined the adjunct faculty, teaching group piano and continuing her work as an opera pianist.
Now based in Houston, Olena is actively building her career as a concert pianist and chamber music collaborator. In her 2024 concert series season, she performed alongside musicians from the Houston Symphony Orchestra and faculty members from the University of Houston in chamber music programs she personally curated.
Outside of music, Olena enjoys spending time in nature, hiking, and practicing yoga. She finds inspiration in exploring new cultures through travel. Though her family remains overseas, she cherishes the companionship of her beloved 11-year-old pug, Daria.
***While I’m grateful for the opportunities competitions once provided, I’ve grown increasingly aware of their psychological toll—on myself and on so many other young musicians. Over time, I chose to step away from that world, feeling that its often subjective and pressurized environment conflicted with my personal values and the deeper meaning I find in making music.