Teaches in Charlotte, NC

From Richburg, South Carolina

Plays Piano, and Saxophone

About

Olayemi Ogundola is a Nigerian saxophonist, composer, teacher and educator. Born in Oyo State, Olayemi was raised in Oyo town, an inland state in south-western Nigeria. Born into a musically prone family, he was exposed to various styles of music from a very early age, beginning with the church choir and later introduced to classical singing by his father who is an organist in Methodist Church. The traditional music across West Africa, European classical music and jazz have been major influences. He began the process of finding his own voice after being exposed to Yoruba musical instruments such as Dundun, Agbe, Bata, Sakara, Gudugudu, Omele, Bembe and several others. He was self-taught until he started receiving piano lessons at the age of 16. He studied classical piano in college and was self-taught on saxophone. Olayemi has often been described as a narrator and an ensemble conceptualizer, having a deep understanding of rhythm and harmony.

In 2021, he moved to the USA for his graduate degree at Longy School of Music where he studied with Noah Preminger, Eric Hofbauer, Ben Schwendener, Charlie Kohlhase, concentrating on jazz and contemporary music performance. He’s had the opportunity to perform with top musicians around the Boston music scene. Olayemi’s artistry gained more recognition after premiering his upcoming project at the 2023 edition of Jazz Along The Charles music festival in Boston. As a narrator and conceptualist, Olayemi’s music is a reflection of his spirituality, cultural identity, and its prophetic significance to humanity. He’s on a mission to explore the streams of Asaph, Herman and Jeduthun, a prophetic sound of Edification, Exhortation and Comfort and is excited to announce his debut album release in the coming days.

For over 10 years, Olayemi has taught students of all ages and levels of advancement in institutions. His students are the recipients of numerous awards and regularly receive the highest ratings in competitions and festivals. Many describe him as genuine and passionate, possessing a youthful, energetic teaching style that works well with most students. His creativity and patience allow him to help students grasp tough concepts and improve at a faster rate than they would on their own.

"My goal is to help students find their voice irrespective of the style of music they want to focus on.I love to tell my students to always see their instruments as their voice and not a type of machine. This approach helps my students to make the best use of materials and information acquired in each lesson, with the goal of owning their own sound. My curriculum is designed to help each student achieve their goal, walking them through the art of studying materials such as books and repertoire of different genres, from note-reading, performance, creative interpretations, composition, to the development of a healthy and virtuosic technique. My curriculum is designed to find ways that
allow students to develop their uniqueness and strength by understanding their own learning abilities and by creating the most ideal learning atmosphere. It is important to take the craft and art of music seriously, as well as the development of our talents and skills. It is also vital to have fun with learning, teaching, and performing. I always try to provide an upbeat atmosphere for my students."