Ukrainian native Liliia Oliinyk, senior piano performance major and Southeastern Community Music School piano instructor and accompanist, recently received an alternate nomination at the regional round of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) piano competition.
She has received numerous awards, in addition to her recent alternate MTNA award nomination. Most important of her many awards includes her 2011 MTNA state win, 2009 first place De Bose National Piano Competition award, second place Concerto Competition and 2007 second place nominations in an Ukrainian National Piano Competition in memory of Professor Bugaevsky, in which there was no first place winner.
Oliinyk began playing piano at five years old and auditioned for a music school program. Teachers explained that she was too small to start playing piano, but accepted her a year later , beginning her official piano career. Although she is able to play basic chord progressions on a guitar, her main instrument has always been piano.
“There’s no particular reason for my love to this instrument,” said Oliinyk. “I just do. I cannot imagine myself being something other than a musician, other than a pianist. I think my love for music, and piano specifically, was formed and influenced largely by my family. My dad went to the same music school I did. He always says that I get to accomplish all the things that he was always dreaming of but never got a chance to accomplish himself.”
Oliinyk learned about Southeastern from a friend and later met Dr. Kenneth Boulton, interim department head and associate professor of piano, who visited Ukraine in the summer of 2007. On his visit, he attended a concert at Kherson Music College, which featured many students including Oliinyk. Her adventure at Southeastern started after that.
She enjoys playing several compositions but prefers music from Baroque up to the late Romantic and Impressionistic periods. Each time Oliinyk learns a piece by a composer new to her, she discovers a new love. Her ultimate goal as a musician is simply to share music with others.
“I just want to be able to share classical music with people in any way I can, should it be teaching, accompanying or performing as a soloist,” said Oliinyk. “By playing piano I can express myself in an extremely emotional and intimate way. I get to say something without actually using words for it. It’s all based on emotions and feelings and moods. That’s the best part of it, for me.”