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 for the Week of November 20th, 2024
Hakim
Technical Exercises – Continuing work on C Major 1 octave scale
Adding in G Major 1 octave scale this week – continuing to practice as solid blocked chords and then stepping through. Using the same fingerings for G Major as C Major (groups of 3 and 5 fingers) Scale Fingerings – Hakim Nov 20
Bartok – Working through exercises #4-7
- Starting hands separately, observing the shape of the line as you step through (not worrying about note names at first, just watching for steps up and down the staff)
- Once comfortable hands separately, put hands together – practicing stepping through while keeping an even tempo/speed.
Celebration – Cleaning up and making sure you are able to keep energy going throughout the entire piece!
- Watching out for places like measure 4 to 5, making sure you are able to jump back into our starting position without hesitating.
- Making sure we keep the same bouncy and short staccato articulation measures 1-3 in both hands! Don’t let your right hand hold onto notes, keeping everything nice and short.
Clara
Technical Exercises – Continuing to slowly practice C Major 1 octave scale hands separately, playing as solid blocked chords of fingerings (groups of 3 and 5), and stepping through.
Lesson Book – Continuing to work through pages 59-62 hands together.
Bartok – Starting new set of reading exercises, working through exercises #1 and #2a (focusing on C 5 finger positions in both)
- Read through one hand’s line of music without playing – looking at the direction we are stepping, notice when we step away and return to the same note!
- Find starting notes, then playing slowly hands separately on the keyboard watching for steps up/down (we only move by steps in these first few exercises)
- Moving on to say note names out loud while playing hands separately.
- Once fully comfortable hands separate, adding hands together and practicing while saying note names.
Homework for November 19-26
Henry
Recommended minutes to practice: 5-10 per day
What to practice: Itsy Bitsy Spider first line with counts that I wrote on your music sheet, theory book colouring on p. 19 and finish numbering lines/spaces on pp. 26-27.
How to practice it most effectively: Follow the counting according to how the note is written in relation to the numbers above; e.g. If a C is written under a 1 and the next note is written under the 3, that means the C should be held for beats 1 and 2. If the next note is a C, that means that the C has to be held for beats 1-2 and played again for beat 3 rather than being held for all 3 beats.
How parents can support practice: Guide him in following the line with the counts, and you can also use the rhythm of the Itsy Bitsy Spider tune to help him hear the rhythm. You can try hearing it at it’s normal speed, then sing it at a slower tempo so he can practice it. Once he is comfortable, you can increase the tempo to the song’s normal speed.
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
