One of the most powerful things I witness inside Ridley Academy is what happens when a student receives the right guidance — personalized, thoughtful, and rooted in genuine care. Benoit’s journey is a beautiful example of this.

From the moment he joined the Mentorship Program, he discovered something essential: the extraordinary advantage of having a competent teacher who is deeply invested in his progress. Rex, his mentor, did what great teachers do — he saw Benoit’s potential immediately and helped him believe in it too.

That belief changed everything for him.

Benoit shared that he now feels fully confident in his ability to reach his piano goals. Not eventually. Not “maybe someday.” But truly — and for the rest of his life.

“Rex convinced me I will be able to reach my piano goals. Now I am very confident about my capabilities.”

What struck me most is how clearly Benoit understands one of the core truths of becoming a musician:
It’s not just what you practice — it’s how you ...

Being in the Mentorship Program has opened my eyes to something I never truly understood before: the incredible advantage of having a competent, caring piano teacher who is personally invested in my progress.

Rex is my teacher, and from the very beginning, he convinced me that I would reach my piano goals. That belief alone changed everything. Today, I feel more confident than ever in my capabilities, and I know I will continue playing and improving for the rest of my life.

One of the most important things Rex taught me is what to practice daily — and even more importantly, how to practice.
That second part is essential.
The way you practice determines whether you make real progress or stay stuck. Learning the correct method has made all the difference for me.

Both Rex and Stephen also taught us how to play songs using chord sheets, which has been transformative. I’ve even started creating my own arrangements in the refrain of a song I learned — something I never imagined I would do...

There are moments in this Academy that stay with me — not because of a difficult piece mastered or a complex skill learned, but because of a quiet shift inside a student. Clarence had one of those moments inside the Mentorship — a moment of confidence, honesty, and growth that says far more than any scale or song ever could.

For years, whenever someone asked him, “Do you play the piano?” Clarence never felt sure of his answer. He told us he often said something like, “Well… it depends on who you ask,” because deep down, he didn’t feel confident enough to claim it.

But this week, something different happened. Something small… yet incredibly meaningful.

Someone asked him that same question —
And for the first time, Clarence finally said:

“YES, I can play the piano.”

That moment means more than any song, any scale, or any exercise.
It’s the moment when the work finally becomes real inside someone.

Clarence has been steadily building skills through the Masterclass. With the suppo...

This is my win from the Mentorship — and while it may seem simple at first glance, to me, it feels huge.

For as long as I can remember, whenever someone asked me if I could play the piano, I never felt comfortable giving a straight answer. I’d usually say something like, “Well… it depends on who you ask,” because deep down, I didn’t feel confident enough to claim it.
I always felt like I was almost there… but not quite.

But this week, something shifted in a way I didn’t expect.

Someone asked me, “Do you play the piano?”
And before I could overthink it, before doubt had a chance to creep in, I said:

“YES — I can play the piano.”

And this time, the answer didn’t feel forced.
It didn’t feel uncertain.
It felt true.

That moment was a milestone for me. It showed me just how far I’ve come — thanks to the skills I’ve learned in the Masterclass and the ongoing support from Ridley Academy and my coach, Carlos Day. It’s one thing to see progress on your own, but it’s something entirely...

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

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