Following two warmly received concerts at All Saints' Church, pianist and composer Yaroslav Oliinyk is returning to Oakham this November with new music, a new programme and a few surprises still being kept under wraps.

A special return to Oakham

Following two previous concerts at All Saints' Church, pianist and composer Yaroslav Oliinyk is delighted to be returning to Oakham on Saturday 14 November 2026.

Oakham has become a particularly special place in Yaroslav's UK concert journey, and he remains very grateful for the warm welcome he has received from local audiences during his previous visits.

Each of his concerts at All Saints' Church has offered something different — and this year will be no exception.

'I have very warm memories of performing in Oakham,' said Yaroslav. 'The atmosphere at All Saints' Church and the connection with the audience have made both of my previous concerts there very special for me.'

A completely new programme

This November, Yaroslav will return with a completely new programme, including music that Oakham audiences have not heard from him before.

The evening will feature new compositions and arrangements, alongside several special surprises which, for now, the organisers are keeping secret.

What will remain familiar is the intimate and atmospheric character that has become an important part of Yaroslav's performances.

'I never want to return to a place simply to repeat the same concert,' he explains.

'For me, every programme should have its own character and its own story. This time I wanted to bring Oakham something completely new.'

What is neoclassical music?

At the heart of the evening will be Yaroslav's contemporary neoclassical style.

Neoclassical music takes elements of the classical piano tradition and brings them into a contemporary musical language. Classical influences can sit alongside modern harmonies, repetition, minimalism, atmosphere and cinematic elements.

The result can feel both familiar and new — retaining the emotional depth and expressive qualities of classical music while presenting them in a format that speaks naturally to modern audiences.

For Yaroslav, classical music does not need to feel formal, distant or fixed in the past: 'I love classical music, but I also believe it can continue to evolve. The piano has an enormous emotional language, and I want to explore how that language can sound today.'

An intimate piano experience

Rather than creating a traditional formal recital, Yaroslav aims to build an atmosphere in which the relationship between the performer, the piano and the audience feels much closer.

Some parts of the programme are quiet and intimate, while others develop into a larger, almost cinematic sound.

This approach also makes the concert accessible to a particularly broad audience.

No specialist knowledge of classical music is required. The programme is intended to be welcoming to younger listeners, people attending a piano concert for the first time, and those who have loved classical music throughout their lives.

From the conservatory to the UK stage

Yaroslav is a graduate of the Kyiv Tchaikovsky Conservatory and has performed across Europe before continuing to develop his artistic career in the UK.

His professional work was recognised through the UK's Global Talent route in the arts, with endorsement from Arts Council England.

In recent years he has continued to perform around the UK while developing his own musical language within contemporary classical and neoclassical music.

The UK has gradually become much more than simply another country in which to perform.

'I have performed in many countries and, over the years, I have also had the experience of living in different places.

'But nowhere have I felt quite as at home - both musically and personally - as I do here in the UK.

'There is a very special energy I receive from audiences here, and it makes me want to give more and more back through my music.

'This beautiful country has become deeply personal to me. Wherever I perform abroad, I always find myself looking forward to the moment I come back.'

Bringing contemporary classical music to local audiences

The Oakham concert is being organised with the support of Open Arts and Wellbeing Collective, a not-for-profit community arts organisation working to make live arts and cultural experiences more accessible to local communities.

For those who attended Yaroslav's previous Oakham concerts, 14 November will offer an opportunity to discover another side of his music.

For those experiencing his work for the first time, the evening will offer an intimate introduction to contemporary neoclassical piano in the beautiful surroundings of All Saints' Church.

'For me, the most important thing is that people leave the concert having felt something. You do not need to understand classical music or know its history.

'You only need to come, listen and allow the music to speak to you.'

Concert information:

Saturday 14 November 2026, 6.30pm

All Saints' Church, Oakham