For young musicians, an inspiring teacher can make all the difference. The right mentor does more than teach technique — they spark curiosity, confidence and creativity, helping students discover not only how to make music, but what they themselves want to express through it. Dr Halyna Ovcharenko brings precisely this combination of professional experience, imagination and dedication to her work with young musicians.

Born in Ukraine, Halyna began composing at an exceptionally young age, earning early national and international recognition. She graduated with honours from the Kyiv National Academy of Music and later studied composition in Poland under Krzysztof Penderecki. After moving to the United Kingdom, she completed her Doctorate in Music Composition at the University of Bristol in 2002.

Today, Halyna is an internationally recognised composer whose music has been commissioned and performed by ensembles including the English Chamber Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Scottish National Ensemble, London Children’s Ballet, French Flute Orchestra and Grimethorpe Colliery Band. Her works span solo, chamber, choral, orchestral, ballet, theatre and film. Her ballets The Last Battle and Kupala’s Night have been staged at major venues such as London’s Peacock Theatre and the Ljubljana National Opera and Ballet Theatre. Her composition Invocation of Rain was selected by the Society for the Promotion of New Music as one of the UK’s best works in 2004, and she is featured in the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.

Alongside her distinguished career, teaching remains central to Halyna’s musical life. She teaches piano, composition and music theory, encouraging students to approach music with both discipline and imagination. Her philosophy is particularly creative: she writes music for children and with children, adapts pieces to different abilities, and creates arrangements that allow students to enjoy making music together. Her piano-duet publications appear through Oxford University Press and Spartan Press.

For Halyna, musical education is not simply about reproducing what is on the page — it is about developing an individual musical personality. This belief is rooted in her own experience: as a teenager she travelled through Ukrainian villages collecting traditional songs, rituals and customs, an interest that later led to a scholarship in ethnomusicology at the University of Amsterdam. This connection between tradition, creativity and education gives her teaching a broad, imaginative perspective. Students learn technique, but also how music can tell stories, communicate emotion and connect cultures.

Halyna is equally committed to supporting young composers. She sponsors a composition trophy at the Bristol and Weston-super-Mare Music Festivals, recognising the importance of giving emerging musicians a platform.

Her Ukrainian heritage also plays an important role in her work. Her choral piece Over the River a Cuckoo Cried, written at sixteen, has been performed internationally, with royalties donated to support Ukrainian orphans. A Christmas project featuring her arrangement of We Wish You a Merry Christmas raised further funds for Ukrainian children.

For parents seeking an exceptional musical experience for their children, Halyna offers something rare: the chance to learn from a working professional whose life has been shaped by creativity, international performance and a deep commitment to education. Her experience spans the concert platform, the composition studio, the classroom and the world of traditional music — but above all, she understands that every young musician is unique.

Whether a student dreams of performing professionally, wants to grow in confidence at the piano, explore composition, or simply discover the joy of creating something of their own, Halyna’s aim is the same: to help young musicians become curious, confident and creative, and to find their own voice through music.

At Encore Music Projects, Halyna Ovcharenko brings not only an impressive international career, but a genuine passion for sharing it with the next generation.