Early Life and Musical Roots
Okiem (stylised “OKIEM”) is an English pianist and composer who has built a distinctive niche for himself in the genre often called cinematic classical — blending piano, orchestral textures and electronics. His official website describes him as someone whose “music is described as ‘cinematic classical’” combining piano, orchestral instruments and synthesizers.
His path to this unique style is interesting: before his solo career took off, he worked as keyboardist for major pop and R&B artists, including Leona Lewis, Tinie Tempah, John Legend, and even opened for Prince.
Working in those fields gave him both technical fluency and exposure to large-scale live performance — tools he would later apply to his more introspective compositional work. On his website, he says that for his debut solo album, XI RO, he chose to compose, record and mix all of it himself — highlighting a DIY work-ethic and a deep interest in the production side of music.
The Signature Sound
Okiem’s musical voice gravitates toward emotional immediacy, spacious textures and cinematic scale. He has been compared with composers such as Ludovico Einaudi and Ólafur Arnalds — artists who’ve brought modern minimalism and emotive piano-based composition into wider popular awareness.
Key characteristics of his sound include:
- A prominent, expressive piano foundation.
- Orchestral strings or sections that support but often do not dominate.
- Electronic or synthetic elements: subtle ambient pads, textures, maybe even rhythms.
- Live performance settings that emphasise atmosphere: intimate lighting, dramatic venue choices, immersive presentation.
One quote from his website: “This unique wealth of experience with top-class artists… helps to shape his unique sound, compositions, and astounding live performance that continues to captivate his audiences.”
Albums and Key Releases
Some of his more recent tracks with the orchestra component include:
- “Oceans” (with The Infinity Orchestra) — released 23 September 2022.
- “Cairo” (with The Infinity Orchestra) — released 7 October 2022.
- “Nature’s Way” (with The Infinity Orchestra) — released 4 November 2022.
These releases indicate a phase where Okiem is working with a full orchestral ensemble (or at least large ensemble layering) under the banner of “The Infinity Orchestra” — which I’ll explore in the next section.
Live Performance & Presentation
Okiem’s live shows often aim at creating a total experience — not just a pianist on stage, but a combination of visuals, venue atmosphere and the richly layered sound of piano + strings + electronics. For instance, an event listing for a “Candlelight Concert” at Union Chapel in London described:
“For ONE NIGHT ONLY, Pianist & Composer Okiem will perform … Okiem and The Infinity Orchestra will be immersed in candlelight to add a visual treat to the stunning music. … This is not your average piano or orchestral event! This is the combination of a traditional Orchestra merging with a pioneer of modern cinematic classical music.”
Such staging reinforces the cinematic, immersive quality of his work, underlining his ambition to transcend a simple “solo piano + backing track” model and move into something deeper and more theatrical.
The Infinity Orchestra
What is “The Infinity Orchestra”?
While there is not a huge amount of publicly detailed data about the full personnel behind The Infinity Orchestra, it is presented as the orchestral ensemble that collaborates with Okiem — sometimes in large live-performance settings — to bring his compositions into a fuller, orchestral dimension. For example, event descriptions reference The Infinity Orchestra as: “a collection of some of the very finest musicians from around the world who’ll be joining him on stage.”
Thus, The Infinity Orchestra appears to function as:
- A flexible ensemble: drawn from high-calibre string players, possibly brass/woodwind, depending on show.
- Collaborator in live performance: allowing Okiem’s music to scale from solo piano mode into full orchestral settings.
- An integral part of his recorded material (for the tracks previously noted, which list “OKIEM & The Infinity Orchestra”).
Role in the Music
The involvement of The Infinity Orchestra with Okiem’s compositions helps to do several things:
- Scale and depth: The addition of strings/orchestra adds harmonic and textural layers that deepen the emotional impact of pieces.
- Live authenticity: Rather than relying solely on synthesised strings or loops, having real orchestral players brings live nuance.
- Contrast and dynamic: Okiem’s piano and electronics juxtaposed with acoustic orchestral instruments create interesting dynamics — quiet/soft to epic/loud.
- Genre-blending: While the orchestral tradition is long-standing, combining it with modern composition techniques, electronics and ambient textures positions the music between classical, soundtrack, and modern concert experience.
Notable Collaborations/Features
As noted above, tracks like “Oceans”, “Cairo” and “Nature’s Way” are credited to “OKIEM & The Infinity Orchestra”. These pieces signal a clear branding of their collaborative output: not just “Okiem solo”, but “Okiem with orchestra”.
In live terms, a listing for 30 November 2025 at EartH Theatre (Evolutionary Arts Hackney) mentioned:
“Okiem is also the creator of The Infinity Orchestra – a collection of some of the very finest musicians from around the world who’ll be joining him on stage. This is not your average piano or Orchestral event!”
That underlines that The Infinity Orchestra is designed for live staging, making the performance an event rather than a standard classical recital.
Impact, Style & Significance
Bridging Worlds
One of the compelling aspects of Okiem & The Infinity Orchestra lies in how they bridge worlds: the classical tradition (orchestral instrumentation, composition/arrangement) and the modern/popular realm (electronics, live concert energy, accessible emotional melodies). This crossover appeal offers several benefits:
- Accessibility: For listeners not steeped in classical music, the cinematic, emotive style is a good entry point.
- Live spectacle: The orchestral scale plus modern lighting/venue production means their concerts can compete with popular music events in atmosphere.
- Versatility: The music works in intimate settings (solo piano) and large venues (orchestra), making the act adaptable.
Emotional Resonance
Much of Okiem’s music (and by extension his work with the orchestra) emphasises mood, atmosphere, contemplative spaces, and emotional narratives. The titles (“Oceans”, “Nature’s Way”, “Cairo”) hint at expansive, even epic imagery. The orchestral palette enables him to paint wide-stroke emotional landscapes: waves of strings, sweeping harmonies, then settling back into introspective piano.
Contemporary Classical Trend
In recent years, genres labelled “neo-classical”, “modern classical”, or “cinematic piano” have grown in popularity — think Ludovico Einaudi, Ólafur Arnalds, Nils Frahm, Max Richter, etc. Okiem & The Infinity Orchestra participate in this trend but with their own twist: a strong live-concert focus, full orchestra integrations, and a background tied to mainstream touring. His experience with pop/rock/R&B acts gives him a vantage point somewhat distinct from composers who started purely in the classical sphere.
Live Concert Format & Audience Experience
From the event descriptions, the concerts are designed with audience experience in mind, not simply sound but atmosphere: candlelight venues, seated but stylish dress codes, special venue choice (e.g., Union Chapel, EartH Theatre) emphasise ambience. Example: the Union Chapel listing says: “Audience members are asked to only wear whatever they feel comfortable in – but the more glamorous the better!”
This suggests a package: music + ambience + spectacle = a memorable evening rather than just a performance.
Challenges and Considerations
While the model is compelling, there are some likely challenges associated with this kind of music and live production:
- Cost: Touring an orchestra with a pianist, lighting and production is expensive.
- Audience size vs. intimacy: Balancing the desire for intimacy (as many film-score concerts aim for) with the need for a big enough venue to make an orchestra viable.
- Marketing position: The music sits between classical and popular, so finding the correct audience can be a challenge. Some classical purists may dismiss it; some pop fans may not find it “pop enough.”
- Recording and reproducibility: Achieving high-quality studio recordings that capture orchestral nuance alongside modern production values is non-trivial.
- Sustainability: Keeping fresh repertoire, maintaining orchestral personnel, and touring can be logistically demanding.
Nevertheless, Okiem appears to be navigating this effectively — with existing releases, a dedicated website listing upcoming shows, and live event listings.
What’s Next & Why It Matters
Upcoming Shows & Momentum
According to his official website, upcoming shows in late 2025 include:
- 1 Nov 2025: Sofar Sounds, Shoreditch Treehouse, London.
- 6 Nov 2025: Yamaha Music London, Candlelight Concert, London.
- 28 Nov 2025: The Dorchester, Private Concert, London.
- 30 Nov 2025: EartH Theatre, with The Infinity Orchestra, London.
This mix of venue types (from more intimate to orchestral shows) suggests a strategic hand: offering different tiers of experience to different audiences.
Cultural Significance
The work of Okiem & The Infinity Orchestra is significant because it contributes to a broader cultural movement: the renewal of classical instrumentation in modern contexts. In a time when streaming, digital production and pop dominate much of the music conversation, acts such as this help keep live acoustic instruments and orchestral sensibilities alive — but in a way that feels contemporary and relevant.
For the Listener & Audience
For someone like you (if you enjoy reflective, atmospheric music, perhaps with a cinematic feel and live ambience), exploring Okiem & The Infinity Orchestra is rewarding. The recordings offer a thoughtful listening experience; the live shows provide an immersive evening. And because their concerts emphasise presentation (candlelight, stage design, venue choice), they become more than just “go and hear a band” — they are events to remember.
Conclusion
In a world where music genres blur and live performance faces ever-tougher competition (from screens, streaming, digital distractions), the collaboration between Okiem and The Infinity Orchestra demonstrates a successful model: combining the emotional depth of classical instrumentation with the production values and accessibility of modern performance.
Okiem’s personal journey — from touring as a keyboardist for major pop stars to composing and performing his own cinematic piano/keyboard pieces — gives him a diverse toolkit. The Infinity Orchestra gives the sound scale and weight. Together, they create experiences that resonate: emotionally, sonically and visually.
