I’ve been part of Ridley Academy for over a year now — I’ve taken the Masterclass, completed the Five Day Challenge, joined the Mentorship Program, and honestly… every single thing Stephen has created from day one has been nothing short of thrilling, majestic, superb, and absolutely life-changing. I could keep going, but you get the point.

I hold Stephen Ridley and his entire team in the highest esteem.

“Stephen helped me see the good in people — the good in everyone — and he unlocked a very rare and special gift inside me that I didn’t even know was there.”

Before Ridley Academy, I used to look at a piano and think: “That’s not for me. Who am I kidding? I’m no musician.”
But that changed after the Five Day Challenge. I became convinced — absolutely convinced — that I can do this. And not just do it, but soar.

Stephen calls it the rhythm method (yes, I renamed it by accident and cracked myself up), but whatever he calls it… it works. It opened my eyes to a version of myself I d...

Every once in a while, a student comes along whose enthusiasm, heart, and transformation remind me why I built Ridley Academy in the first place. Timothy is one of those students — a true testament to what can happen when someone finally believes, “Yes… I can do this.”

When Timothy first joined us, he had doubts many people share:

“That’s not for me.”
“I’m not a musician.”
“Who am I fooling?”

But what makes Timothy remarkable is that he didn’t let those thoughts win. He leaped — signing up for the Masterclass, the Five-Day Challenge, and ultimately the Mentorship Program. And from that moment on, something powerful awakened in him.

“Everything Stephen has created has been thrilling, fantastic, majestic, superb… absolutely life-changing.”

As he moved through the lessons, something clicked. He began to see the good in people again, and more importantly, he began to see the good in himself. He discovered a musical gift that had been buried for years — a gift he didn’t know was st...

There are moments in life when words simply aren’t enough. Moments when hope fades, and dreams slip quietly into the background. Son’Yah’s journey is one of those moments that found its voice again—through music.

When Son’Yah joined Ridley Academy, she arrived carrying something heavy: a history of learning struggles and silent pain that convinced her she couldn’t learn or belong at the piano.

“My father called me stupid as he hit me for freezing in fear.”

She had walked away from music long ago—not because her desire was gone, but because the world told her she wasn’t enough. Then, something changed. A choice. A leap.

“If I slow down and take information in gently… I can learn anything.”

In her first few months with us, she discovered something profound: this wasn’t about playing fast or perfect—it was about healing, reclaiming, and listening to the sound of possibility.

“I’m finally giving myself permission to slow down—not just at the piano, but in every area of my l...

I’ve been with the Ridley Academy for about a year now, and joining both the Masterclass and the Mentorship program has truly changed my life. When I first signed up, I knew nothing about music or the piano — only that I had a vision of creating music and maybe even using it to help others one day. What I didn’t expect was how much this journey would heal me in the process.

Growing up, I faced learning challenges that made school incredibly difficult. I didn’t process information the way other children did. Words, numbers, and directions often became jumbled, and I would freeze under pressure. Instead of patience or understanding, I was punished for it.

“My father called me stupid as he hit me for freezing in fear. Those moments shaped how I saw myself for decades.”

Later in life, I learned that what I experienced is sometimes labeled as “dyslexia,” but as a child, all I knew was shame. Because of that, I avoided music entirely, even though I longed for it. I didn’t believe some...

Every week, I have the privilege of witnessing extraordinary students rediscover parts of themselves through music, but Iva’s story is one that touched me deeply. It’s a reminder that sometimes the biggest breakthroughs happen the moment we decide to stop hesitating and start living.

When I first learned about Iva’s journey, I was moved by her honesty and her courage. She began her relationship with the piano as a young girl—just eight years old. She took lessons for a year, but as life often does, it pulled her in other directions. She stepped away from the piano, carrying with her a quiet dream she didn’t know would one day return with such strength.

Years later, she tried again. And again, life got in the way. Too much happening, too many responsibilities, too many reasons to put herself last. Yet the desire never disappeared. It stayed alive inside her, waiting patiently for the moment she would finally say “yes.”

A few months ago, she found Ridley Academy. She saw one of our pr...

My piano story actually began when I was eight years old. I took lessons for a year and then quit—life got busy and the dream quietly slipped away. Years later I tried again, but responsibilities pulled me off track. Still, the desire never faded. That quiet longing was always there.

When I saw the promotion for Stephen Ridley’s Academy, something inside me sparked. My doubts kicked in: Too old? No time? Is this really for me? But then I asked myself:

If not now, when?

So I enrolled.

From the very first lesson I felt the difference. The structure, the clear direction, the way everything made sense—it all clicked.

“In just three months, I’ve grown more than I ever expected. I’m proud of myself—and that is priceless.”

I’m learning music in a way I never did before. Not just songs—but why they’re built, how they feel, how they connect. The tools I’m developing? Hand coordination, rhythm, ear-training—real skills.

“This is the best personal move I could have made for myself—es

...

"I started Stephen’s Masterclass because I wanted to learn piano seriously—not just play a few songs, but really understand music. I’ve tried other courses before, but this one is different. It’s not built on shortcuts or quick tricks that don’t lead anywhere. Every lesson helps you build a real foundation and understand what you’re doing.

The coaches are amazing. They don’t just correct you—they help you focus on the things that truly make you better. Their insight keeps me from wasting time on habits that don’t help, and that has made a big difference in my progress.

When I began, I couldn’t play anything at all. Now, after working through the first year, I can play several songs, and more importantly, I understand what I’m doing. The first phase really focuses on building solid skills, and it’s so rewarding to see how everything connects.

I also joined Stephen’s Mentorship Program, and that took things to another level. In mentorship, I get new lessons daily, and it feels very pe...

When Gary joined my Complete Piano Masterclass, he wasn’t just looking to learn a few songs—he was looking to understand music deeply. From the beginning, I could tell that he was serious about learning the instrument the right way: with patience, structure, and purpose.

Gary shared something that truly resonated with me:

“I’ve taken (am still taking) Stephen’s Masterclass and think it’s the best piano training out there for accelerated growth. It’s not built on shortcuts, which are not really that helpful, but the insight of the coaches helps steer us toward more profitable activities and away from less effective ones.”

That’s exactly the goal of the program—to help students build real skill instead of relying on tricks that don’t last. Every lesson in the Masterclass is designed to strengthen the foundation: hand coordination, rhythm, chord understanding, and ear training.

From Foundations to Freedom

Gary has shown remarkable dedication since the start. He took the time to r...

"Hello Rex,

I learned that I will receive, tuition free, the number of weeks I was unable to participate in the Mentorship program (due to house fire, no piano) My heartfelt gratitude to you for speaking up for me.

Being in the Ridley Academy, being ‘coached’ by you, has been so enlightening, enriching. I’m learning so much “piano sense”. I didn’t realize there was such a thing as a teaching strategy for the piano that could work for me. So helpful for you to tell me which finger drills to use to help my 4th and 5th finger perform well. And reminding me of the hand stretches 👍

I have a lot to think about and explore. im not at the learning stage where it is intuitive to know which exercise will help me get through a rough spot. I trust that will come in time. When I listen to your comments I’ve begun to take notes. i think that will help me retain your suggestions.

I’ve been a bit limited in the time I’ve had available to spend with my piano. So, as I said months ago, please don’t ...

I want to tell you about something I didn’t fully understand when I first started Ridley Academy.

At the beginning, I thought my job was to teach people how to play piano — how to move their hands, how to understand harmony, how to feel confident expressing themselves. And yes, all of that matters. But what I didn’t expect was that the real magic would come from the people themselves.

It’s the community that changes people.

Every week in our Mentorship Program, I watch students from every corner of the world show up for each other. They listen, they clap, they encourage, they give feedback, they lift one another up. It’s a small miracle that happens quietly, over and over again — a reminder that even though piano seems like a solo instrument, music has always been a shared experience.

One of our students, Frode, reminded me of this recently. He’s from Norway, and he joined the Mentorship Program after a long break from music — nearly twenty years without really playing. He told me ...