Ryan Phelps Institute of Advanced Musical Studies

So true!!

Parents, here’s a game-changing tip: the fastest way to grow a child’s brain isn’t by piling on extra homework, it’s through more music. Studies show that children who regularly play instruments, sing, or even listen actively to music develop stronger cognitive skills, better memory, and enhanced creativity.

Music stimulates multiple areas of the brain at once, improving language development, problem-solving abilities, and emotional intelligence. Unlike traditional homework, which can feel like a chore, music engages children in a fun and meaningful way, making learning enjoyable while boosting brain growth.

Whether it’s piano, drums, singing, or even rhythmic clapping, integrating music into a child’s daily routine can have a lasting impact on their mental development and academic success. Start early and watch their brain flourish naturally.

One of my students has had the privilege of attending the masterclass and interview with Eric Liu the winner of the 2025 Interntional Chopin Competiton. He Spoke at length about perseverance and determination which are so "key" 🙂 for young pianists to possess!

Great class recital with some great repertoire today! The kids played well and the Steinway D at Southminster sang and roared. Another year in the books. And 2 more successful students off to new exciting projects Theo to the University of Toronto and Leqi to John Hopkins congrats to you both! Thank you also to Gabe, I couldn’t ask for a better person and friend to work with!

I wanted to take the opportunity to invite everyone to my upcoming concerts with Cellist Brandon Wilkie! On november 4 at 12 noon, we will be performing at St. Andrew’s presbyterian church across from Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto as part of their noon hour series, and we will be in Ottawa on November 15, at Southminster at 12, as part of their noon hour series. We will be playing the Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev Cello sonatas in a little celebration of the 150th year of Rachmaninoff’s birth in 1873. Both concerts are free will offering. Please give generously, as both venues own and maintain top level concert grands, a Bosendorfer Imperial in at St. Andrew’s and A recently acquired beautiful Steiwnay D at Southminster! These are a wonderful gift to our professions and are wonderful to perform on!

More music from the Eastman School of Music. A quick study he pulled together during his month there, so complete with a few accidentals :)

Moment Musicaux, C Major, Op 16 No 6 played so many wrong notes u could call it improv

My student Leqi playing the Brazileira from from Darius Milhaud's Scaramouche suite Op. 165. He is just getting back from his studies at the Eastman School of Music at their 4 week summer music program where this performance occurred. This piece is a lot of fun!

Scaramouche III: Brazileira i love u paolo

Leqi having some fun this past spring at the Ottawa piano festival!

Ottawa Piano Festival 2023 Leqi Shen scherzo is bad bc i was too tired lol

It's been a while since I have posted an update about it has been a bit of a whirlwind since the march of 2020. I never thought that March, that I would be the busiest I have ever been as a teacher. Between 2020 and 2023 there have been tons of notable things, scholarships at festivals, ARTC and ATCL diplomas, multiple top level placings at festivals and a bunch of high placings at provincials much of which was accomplished through Zoom and concert hall rentals. I thought though I would post some notable things as I am very interested in the continued journey of my students beyond those formative years, and I have had a lot of people ask what we have been up to.

In 2021 I had 3 of my students all get in to piano performance programs doing joint Degrees in Piano performance, Science and Engineering, with Sebastian attending UBC, Andreas attending the University of Toronto and Nathan Clark attending Boston University. Nathan Clark's piano studies helped him receive full scholarships at many Top 20 universities in the United States that he applied to including John Hopkins University and Boston University at which he received the Trustee Scholarship, which is the most prestigious scholarship an undergraduate can receive to study at Boston U which covers full tuition, and all expenses. as well as summer funding. He is currently pursuing piano performance and received private funding for his machine learning research which he is conducting on top of his piano practice!

In 2023 my Student Leqi Shen, has been putting the pieces together for his education and will be audition at many top schools in both the US and this coming fall for joint programs in science and piano performance. Aside from aspiring to the Chopin Competition, medicine also is in his bright future. This past year he won the Leon Veira Memorial JS Bach Trophy and scholarship at the Ottawa Kiwanis winning he trophy class(which Nathan previously received in 2020), and received the Gold Medal for Diploma at the Ottawa Piano Festival, and scholarships from both the Ottawa Piano Festival and Kiwanis.

He is currently attending the Eastman University's in Rochester NY summer Music Program for which he received scholarship for attendance, and was also Accepted into NY Universities summer piano Intensive program. He will be taking some lessons this summer with well known pianist and teacher Richard Raymond when he gets back from Eastman.

It is a pleasure to play a role in these young lives as they develop. I have many young students who are on the development path, who I am excited to see blossom as musicians, students, and people in the coming years!

Our last take of Mendelssohn’s first Piano Concerto for provincials for this year, I am looking forward to a future of students performing in person again in the coming years instead of recording sessions no matter how much fun they were! Fingers crossed for Lucky!

Mendelssohn - Piano Concerto No. 1 - Leqi Shen

Lucky at the keys getting ready to record our provincials submission. When a pianist sits down at a great instrument the Barriers fall away and the pianist is able to focus on realizing their artistic goals. Steinway sure knows how to build a great piano!!

Another very exciting year at Kiwanis. Leqi is off to the Provincial Finals again after winning the concerto competition with his stirring interpretation of his Mendelssohn 1st Piano Concert.(I am hiding behind him on the 2nd piano!) He received a 94 for his playing. CMC is next Fingers crossed.

Piano Concerto No.1 (Felix Mendelssohn) - Kiwanis Music Festival 2022