Olayemi Ogundola is a Nigerian saxophonist, pianist, 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 African
musical instruments such as Dundun, Agbe, Bata, Sakara, Gudugudu, Omele and Bembe. He was
self-taught until he started receiving piano lessons at the age of 15. 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, concentrating on jazz and contemporary music performance. 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, Heman and
Jeduthun, a prophetic sound of Edification, Exhortation and Comfort and is excited to announce his
debut album release.

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 posture 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.”

Olayemi is also qualified to help vocal students who wish to study a combination of voice and piano,
including self-accompaniment, arrangements, and repertoire. For this option, select Voice/Piano
Lessons when enrolling.