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Phoenix Conservatory of Music

Music Without Borders

Phoenix Bio

Joe Ringhofer

Mr. Ringhofer has established an impressive, broad-spectrum music career. He is a nationally recognized pedagogue, the founder/director of the Phoenix Conservatory of Music, and the Chief Examiner Emeritus of the Royal Conservatory of Music. He has also authored and co-authored over twenty books on music history, harmony, rudiments and musicianship, including the current textbooks for the RCM’s advanced History , Harmony Counterpoint and Analysis (“Explorations “ and “Celebrate Theory”) courses. Joe is also featured as the narrator /spokesperson for  Perspectives Piano Series (10 CDs) and  Sound Advice (online digital recordings for 8 volumes).

In demand as a festival adjudicator, author and education innovator, Mr. Ringhofer has presented workshops on music theory to teacher groups across Canada. Since 2009 he has championed the Teacher Mentorship Program, offering theory teachers the opportunity to audit his online classes from a pedagogical viewpoint.

Mr. Ringhofer is a leading pioneer of online learning and in 2008, as a specialist in music theory and keyboard harmony, he launched Music Without Borders: Music Theory Online with Joe Ringhofer, hosting live lectures /webinars for students of all ages from across Canada, United States, Europe, and Asia.

Joe has served as a concert lecturer (Le sacre du printemps) and children’s presenter (Carnival of the Animals, Linamar Concerts) with the Guelph Symphony Orchestra. He animates the GSO’s Kinderconcert series with his engaging story-telling talents (citing Mrs. Doubtfire, Dame Edna and Snagglepuss among his many creative influences.) Thanks to a Trillium Foundation Grant (2018) he has joined forces with Catherine Molina to foster a music program at Sacred Heart Catholic School. This weekly program combines live performance with learning modules that help build the critical listening skills of young people (Gr. 1-8) while nurturing the GSO’s ongoing commitment to musical outreach in the community.

In September 2019 Joe gave a series of in-depth pre-concert lectures at the Glenn Gould Studio and Jeanne Lamon Hall as part of the (first-in-Canada) George Enescu International Festival.

Mr. Joe J. Ringhofer is a former faculty member of The Royal Conservatory of Music and a graduate of the University of Toronto.

SOME INTERESTING FACTS

  • Joined the College of Examiners at age 20
  • In four decades has marked over 70,000 official examinations for the Royal Conservatory.
  • Is co- designer of the RCM curriculae/syllabae.
  • Designed and hosted a wide array of music appreciation courses/salons including Opera on a Sunday Afternoon, Salome: Virgin or Vamp?, Music When Soft Voices Die and Music for the New Millennium
  • Designed, executed and hosted music/arts tours for music lovers to destinations such as Paris (The Phoenix Storms the Bastille) and NYC (The Phoenix Takes Manhattan)
  • Is a former Canadian champion of the classical accordion