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Stephen Ridley

Stephen Ridley is a British pianist, singer-songwriter and founder of Ridley Academy, sharing piano performances and lessons shaped by his years as a street musician.

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Stephen’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus their backstory and Starbook, where fans write.

Known for

Overview

From: South Yorkshire, England
Work: Pianist, singer-songwriter and piano educator
Before music: Worked in investment banking
Online breakthrough: Public-piano performances and pandemic-era livestreams
Teaching: Founder of Ridley Academy

Mini bio

How it started.

Stephen grew up in a small village in South Yorkshire. In his own account, a family friend’s plastic keyboard first caught his imagination. He learned on his own and later took lessons, then returned to playing for comfort after his father died.

A piano on the pavement.

After university, he worked in investment banking. He says leaving that job led him to a £100 secondhand piano, which he took onto a London street. Playing for passersby became the starting point for a performing career that took him abroad.

Finding fans online.

His public-piano videos reached a wider audience during the pandemic, including an Imagine performance in an almost empty London station. He also streamed performances on Instagram when live shows were cancelled, building a community around his piano and voice.

Sharing what he learned.

Through Ridley Academy, Stephen teaches piano with short, practical lessons that emphasize expression. His flagship course is The Complete Piano Masterclass. His own performances range from original songs such as Would You Mind? to piano and vocal versions of Hallelujah and I Put a Spell on You.

Creditschronological, newest first

2018I Put a Spell on You / Feeling GoodPerformer and executive producer
2018HallelujahPiano and vocal performer
2017Would You Mind?Original songwriter and performer

Awards

Quotes

In a world of work, I bring people play.Stephen Ridley, writing on Medium

From his March 21, 2025 account of building Ridley Academy: https://medium.com/counterarts/ridley-academy-review-the-ultimate-piano-learning-experience-27c11ef37581

Trivia

He says his first keyboard came from a family friend who gave him headphones at a New Year’s Eve party.
The Complete Piano Masterclass was originally going to be called Stephen’s Passionate Journey Into Piano.
His Hallelujah video was recorded live at St. Mary’s Church in London.