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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Homework, December 5th Lessons!
Hello Everybody!
There was some really, really great progress this week friends!
Noreet:
Noreet has finished learning a Minuet for Mr. Bach’s Children! She can continue to play this should she wish, but we have moved onto Mr. Brahms’ Famous Lullaby. It is VERY important that she does not hear this played for her just yet, as we are working really hard at reading the notes and not playing from memory. Have her sit at the piano and plunk out the notes in the left hand only as she reads the music. Play up to the indicated star marked December 5th. We also learned the G Major scale this week so she can warm up with both C Major and G Major in both hands.
Vida:
Vida is to continue playing both the C Major and the B Major scale with both hands for warm up. When practicing Everybody Wants to Rule the World, make sure she plays the song slowly and encourage her to read the notes that are written to avoid repeating bars and making small mistakes. She can start to practice playing both the melody in the right hand, as well as the chords in the left hand at the indicated bars. We also learned the B minor chord today as this is used in the song. She should practice this chord in particular as it requires a bit of a stretch.
Thank you for all of your hard work!!
I am looking forward to seeing everyone’s progress next week!
Assignments for the Week of December 4th, 2024
Hakim
Technical Exercises – G and D Major scales 1 octave – practicing hands separately
- Practicing as solid groups of fingers (RH groups of 3 and 5, LH groups of 5 and 3) and stepping through
- Saying note names out loud as you play, making sure you know which sharps you need for each scale
- (G Major – F#, D Major – F# and C#)
Bartok – #7-9
The Calico Cat – Beginning to work hands separately
- Focusing on an A minor 5 finger hand position moving up and down the keyboard.
Bizville – Finding layers in each hand – focusing on our Left hand “groove”
- Focusing on B flat in the left hand, jumping between octaves – Make sure you know which octave you start in
- Figuring out where each main beat in your measure is!
Clara
Technical Exercises – C Major scale – one octave hands separately
- Practicing as solid blocks of fingerings and stepping through – saying note names out loud.
Lesson Book – pages 68-71 – focusing on reading rests while playing
- Thinking of our rests as beats of silence where we listen, instead of stopping and pausing at rests.
- Acknowledge any rests as you play (breathing on the rest or saying “rest” out loud are easy ways to keep track of them)
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
