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!
Coming soon!
Hobbies:
Musical influences:
Favourite food:
Least favourite food:
Favourite music:
Favourite album:
Favourite movie:
Favourite musical theatre/opera:
Best quote from your teacher:
Favourite quote:
Favourite book:
Latest Homework from Gergely
Is Gergely Your Teacher?
Sign up now to get your weekly assignments delivered, and never lose your homework sheet again!
Engaging your Rhythm Kid!
Hey, Hey, wha’ do you say?
Barnaby here! I had the pleasure of sitting in on some Rhythm Kids 1 classes this past weekend, and had a blast! I can’t tell you how fantastic a job you are all doing as parents, singing, and participating.
I did want to weigh in with some guidance, which I hope will help you deepen your experience, and that will help transition your kids to more structured activities as they learn at school, and grow through Rhythm Kids 2 towards music lessons.
At 4-5 years old structures are just being learnt, so we have to temper our expectations of what we can reasonably expect them to do with us. They are still very free spirits, and while it is OK for them to run-and-roam, we want to also start to structure their activities so they can develop musically.
How to do this? Well, there are a lot of options, but here are some simple guidelines:
- Don’t be embarrassed, they are just being natural
- Don’t be frustrated, they’ll pick up on that
- Don’t do it for them, Show Them you are doing it
- Do be silly, and engage in what they are doing part of the time, while singing with the group
- Try different levels of engagement with them from week to week if and while they wander
If I was in your class, you may have noticed that I didn’t always ‘stick’ with the class. Like Yoga, you should consider Rhythm Kids your ‘practice’, which means you have freedom to adapt to meet your (kids’) needs from week to week. We want you to understand and try to be a bit improvisatory in class, both for the sake of your kids, and for the sake of contributing to our class and musical community.
I hope this has been of use to you and that you got some ideas about how to engage a little more effectively. Things are so energetic in our classes, and we thank you for that! It is so much fun!
We are very excited about TREE FROG coming up this winter, full of Japanese inspired rhythms.
See you soon!
Barnaby.
We’re apprenticing new teachers
Hello Everybody!
We hope you are having a great start to the fall with the Fiddle collection, including our beautiful new books, and, for some of you, enjoying the new con Español bilingual music and translation.
This update is to let you know that we are currently apprenticing two new teachers – Naoko Tsujita and Rob Kirsch-Spring – both of whom completed Music Together teacher training this June. We are super excited to welcome them to Music Together classes, and both are also part of our regular music lesson teaching team.
What will they do?
The apprentice process is 10 weeks. Each week they teach an additional song on the plan, eventually teaching the full class. In weeks 5 and 10 classes will be video-recorded for peer review, and in week 8 they will teach without their supervisor.
Each week we work with them on their increasing load and help them grow the confidence to grow their confidence.
If you have feedback during their apprenticeship process, please call us in the office, we value and appreciate any feedback you have, at any time.
If you think they are doing a good job, we also encourage you to let them know. Hearing from you will give them a big boost!
Then what?
After they have completed their 10 weeks of Mixed Age classes, they will likely go on to apprentice for Rhythm Kids, the Music Together program that immediately follows after Mixed Age classes, when your child turns 4.
They may also take over one of your classes as we move to increase the load for all of our teachers.
See you soon!
Barnaby.
Preferred Books for Gergely’s Students
Click to buy them here, and they’ll come right to your house! What could be easier?
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
