Olena Shvetsova

About Me

Ukrainian pianist Olena Shvetsova enjoys a busy career as soloist, accompanist and teacher. She started her piano lessons with Nataliia Romenskaya, then with Olga Orlova at the Music College of Kiev, where she won many solo piano prizes, subsequently being awarded a scholarship from the President of the Ukraine for further studies at the prestigious National Music Academy of Kiev with Olga Liforenko and Zoia Eremenko, a pupil of the great Russian pianist Lev Oborin. After graduating with honours, she taught at the Kosenko Music School, and was Official Pianist for the Opera Department of the National Academy of Kiev, collaborating with Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Sheiko , and stage producer Vladimir Shutko. Olena has won many prizes at international piano competitions, including First Prize at the Sixth International Chopin Piano Competition in Rome, and Finalist at the Eighth International Rachmaninoff Competition, Italy, and has performed throughout the UK, Italy, Austria, Andorra, Holland, Russia and Ukraine as soloist and accompanist to her cellist husband Richard May. She continues to teach the rich traditions of the Russian school with her own students at Wells Cathedral Specialist Music School, Bristol Cathedral Choir School and large class of private students. Many of them achieve outstanding results in their ABRSM Examinations and Diplomas, often winning prizes at national and international level, and gaining places to the UK’s top universities and conservatoires. Olena gives masterclasses in the UK and abroad, and is Director of Encore International Music Summer School. Being a teacher for more than 30 years, I am very passionate to give my best knowledge and support to young players. Some of them might go further and become a professional musician, other might choose another profession, but music will be always a big part of their lives and I always give them my support to bring their best. I treat each student individually, establishing positive and creative environment of learning, giving my best advice on how to analyse music, develop technique, learning interesting and appropriate to their musical and technical standard pieces of different style and character, putting pupils forward for the exams and giving plenty of stage opportunity.  I strongly believe, that promoting the mindset that hard work, effort and the best possible quality will always be eventually rewarded.