Olena Blagulyak, a distinguished Ukrainian pianist, has established a dynamic career in performance and teaching in Houston, TX. She recently earned her Doctoral degree in Piano Performance from the University of Houston, where she studied under the esteemed guidance of Tali Morgulis and Timothy Hester. Olena dedicated her doctoral thesis to the piano works of the underrepresented Russian composer Nikolai Medtner, focusing on his piano cycle Forgotten Melodies Op. 39.

Currently, Olena serves as an adjunct piano faculty member at Lone Star College in Kingwood and enriches the musical scene as an artist-in-residence at Kingwood Methodist Church. In this role, she contributes her talents as a pianist and organist while serving as a music ambassador and organizer of the KMC Concert Series, fostering a deeper appreciation and understanding of music within the community.

As a performing artist, Olena has showcased her versatility and distinctive musical voice in concerts at the Hobby Center, the Candlelight Concert Series, Kawai Piano Gallery, the Moores Opera House, Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and many other concert venues. Her most recent engagement as a soloist with a symphony orchestra was a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Third Piano Concerto under the baton of Franz Anton Krager, featuring the symphony orchestra of the University of Houston in collaboration with the Houston Ballet Academy.

Olena’s creative ethos, which merges musical excellence with a deep sense of social responsibility, is vividly expressed in her role as the co-founder of the Knight-Blagulyak Duo, alongside violist Nina Knight. This collaboration was born out of a shared vision to leverage their musical talents for philanthropic purposes. In their inaugural season in Spring 2022, the duo focused on raising awareness and support for the international refugee crisis, particularly for Ukrainian refugees, a cause close to Olena’s heart due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Their program, No Way Home, featured music by composers who were displaced from their homes, including poignant works by Paul Hindemith, Rebecca Clarke, George Enescu, and Valentyn Silvestrov, reflecting the duo’s humanitarian aspirations.

Olena's musical foundation was established in Kyiv, Ukraine, at the prestigious Lysenko Special Music Boarding School under the mentorship of Sergei Ryabov. Her profound passion for music, instilled by her pianist mother and a guild of influential mentors, has been the cornerstone of her career, guiding her evolution into a respected and accomplished musician. Her orchestral debut in 2001 marked a pivotal moment, featuring a mesmerizing rendition of Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 at the Vladimir Horowitz Summer Institute under the baton of Mykola Suk.

Olena graduated as a gold medalist from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Kyiv in 2009, earning her master’s degree in Piano Performance. Her extraordinary talent has won her multiple prestigious national and international piano competitions, including first place 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 in 2007; and the Sam Houston State University Concerto Competition in 2018, where her rendition of Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto was particularly noteworthy.

Beyond competitions, Olena has been a sought-after guest artist at various international music festivals, including Ciudad Jamilena in 2008 and 2009, Málaga Clasica in Spain in 2016, and the Amelia Island Opera Company in Florida in 2024. Her performance career is highlighted by a series of recitals across the United States, Europe, and South America. A notable engagement was her participation in a diplomatic mission organized by the Norwegian Embassy in Guatemala in 2016, where she gave masterclasses at the Guatemala City Conservatory and performed in charity concerts.

In 2010, Olena emigrated to Spain, where she actively engaged in the Spanish music scene, collaborating with notable violinists such as Jesus Reina and Anna Margrethe Haugland Nilsen, and serving as a collaborative pianist at the Ivan Galamian Academy in Málaga.

In 2016, she began a new phase of her musical journey at Sam Houston State University, Texas, where she earned her second master’s degree in Piano Performance by 2018 under the guidance of esteemed Spanish pianist Josu de Solaun. Her time at the university was marked by rapid professional growth, leading to her joining the piano faculty as an instructor and collaborative pianist. She also took on the role of music director and pianist for Sam Houston State’s opera projects, including notable performances of Leonard Bernstein's works in 2017 and Hansel and Gretel in 2018.

Currently based in Houston, Olena enjoys a range of activities that enrich her life. She finds tranquility in nature and yoga, excitement in traveling and exploring new cultures, and values her relaxation time spent reading, listening to podcasts, and cherishing moments with her family, friends, and beloved pug, Daria.