M.Mus (U of T)
B.Mus (Oberlin)
Guitarist Gergely Szabo has an Advanced Diploma in Music Performance from Cambrian College where he majored in the classical guitar. Over his time there, he completed 2 years of comprehensive pedagogy courses. He also gained well grounded vocal skills, as well as basic knowledge on the piano. Outside of classical music, he exhibits a repertoire of skills and knowledge in playing the genres of rock, blues, and heavy metal music. He has experience in teaching the guitar and the ukulele to a range of people aged 6 to 54.
Gergely’s teaching methods include both the use of books and digital methods. The three main books he uses to teach guitar are as follows: “Guitar Method Book 1 by Will Schmid and Greg Koch,” “Four Star Sight Reading and Ear Tests RCM Level 1,” and “Classical Guitar Repertoire and Etudes RCM Level 1.” For teaching ukulele, he uses the book “Ukulele Songs for 1, 2, or 3 players by Elizabeth Ragsdale.” Aside from these, he frequently uses the Muse Score application as a play-along practicing tool.
Gergely’s passion for music and his dedication to growing the love of music in others are the biggest reasons why he teaches guitar and ukulele. His approach to teaching involves learning through play. The material he covers with his students is always delivered in a way that is highly interactive. Most of the assigned exercises he gives involve the elements of play that students can enjoy both in class and as homework.
Get to know Gergely…Beyond the Bio!
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Latest Homework from Gergely
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Assignments from February 1st
Hello Saturday Friends!
Great lesson today!
Berke:
We learned a new scale today! Berke can now practice G Major, one octave, hands separately. He can also practice C Major with two octaves! Please help Berke by reminding him that both of his thumbs should be on C when he finishes the first octave before he starts the second. This anchor point will ensure proper fingering. We sight read more of Mozart’s Minuet in F Major. Our focus today was proper hand placement and fingerings to allow for efficient playing. Continue to read and practice this at home. Make sure Berke is practicing both the right hand melody as well as the left hand base line. Proper hand placement and fingering are imperative with this piece, please make sure Berke is starting the right hand with his 3rd finger and that the second note in the first 3 bars is played with the 5th finger. This will ensure Berke has enough fingers left to come back down the keyboard as the melody descends. For the bass line, Berke should start with his 5th finger so that he has room to climb with the keyboard. Ensure the C in the 3rd bar of the bass line is played with his 1st finger (thumb) so that he can reach the octave below with his 5th finger. Finally please make sure Berke plays the Cadential Movement at the end of both the first and second phrase in the bass line with his 1st, 3rd, and 5th fingers as practiced in class.
Cadential Movement: Acts a musical period at the end of a phrase. Creates resolution in the phrase.
Great progress this week! I’m looking forward to hearing Berke play more next week.
Assignments from January 30th
Hello!
Wow! Awesome lessons all around this week friends!
Noreet:
We have Noreet’s book and her blue glove at the Conway location! It is tucked away safe on Barn’s desk ready for next week. In the meantime I’ve uploaded all the materials Noreet needs for practice this week to the google drive. You can find these here.
We reviewed the C Major and G Major scales hands together. C Major is in a great place and can be left off the practice roster for now in favor of other scales. Please continue to practice the G Major scale hands together with the metronome at 115BPM. Please pay close attention to the fingering in the descent. D Major can be practiced slowly hands together, and the A Major scale which we learned Thursday can be practiced hands separately (remember A Major has 3 sharps, F#, C#, and G#). We sight read new songs today! Please practice “Ice Cream” and “More Ice Cream” with the metronome set to 115BPM, hands separately until Noreet feels confident enough to try hands together. Please work towards accurate rhythms in the pieces specifically. There is an extra sheet we looked at together in class that has different rhythm patterns on it. Please review these with Noreet, help her count the beat out loud (1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and) and then clap the 4 different rhythms on the sheet.
Vida:
Great first day with the new book! When practicing the first song at home please take the repeat and practice the different dynamics listed in the music (first time though loud, second time through soft). Please help Vida with when reading the phrases with eighth notes split between the two hands. This is the first time we’ve seen them written like this on the staff, but the rhythm is the same as if played in one hand. If this is a challenge when practicing, practice these specific phrases with the right hand only so Vida understands the contour and rhythm of the phrase before going back to playing it between the two hands. We can review this in class next week. Also, please continue to help Vida distinguish between the staccato phrases and the legato phrases. Vida can also start to practice “Life is Better Loud”. Please practice the melody and chords hands separate until she feels confident enough to try the melody and the chords hands together. When practicing the chords, ensure Vida plays them in her left hand and that she knows the name of the specific chord she is playing, especially E Major vs. E minor. These can be practiced broken (E then G# then B) or solid.
Great progress all around this month everyone! Looking forward to our first February lesson next week!
Preferred Books for Gergely’s Students
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Hal Leonard Guitar Method
The second edition of this world-famous method by Will Schmid and Greg Koch is preferred by teachers because it makes them more effective while making their job easier. Students enjoy its easy-to-follow format that gives them a solid music education while letting them play songs right away. Book 1 provides beginning instruction including tuning, 1st position melody playing, C, G, G7, D7, and Em chords, rhythms through eighth notes, solos and ensembles and strumming.
Four Star Sight Reading and Ear Tests
