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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Thursday May 23 Lessons – Erin P
Hi everyone! Exam folks, now would be a good time to be listening to videos on youtube performed by teachers and seeing if you can play along with the recordings, or just comparing your performance to theirs and emulating parts you want to improve.
Great channels include Piano with Beth, Lisa Tahara, Da Capo Academy of Music, and Amy’s Piano Studio 2.
Liam
Use your 4 star sightreading book and ask your parents to watch you play after you’ve looked it over silently so they can give feedback. This is only necessary if you are unaware if you’re getting it right – do not expect yourself to get everything 100% correct! Just try and get as many things correct as you can. Rhythm and generalllllll shape are most important.
Fingering charts for scales found here
Katarina
Wunderkeys “Hide and Seek” unit – all 4 pieces.
Zum Gali Gali
Warmup with your C and G major scales, both hands seperately. Then do your C major triads, both hands seperately.
Marita
Sunset in San Pedro
Zum Gali Gali
Sara
Entertainer sounds great. Notice what chords the LH is playing and when they repeat, or how they change slightly in different sections.
Air in Bb – Nice job! You fixed any memory issues and I like your dynamics. Check with the metronome.
Sonatina in C – Nice dynamic variation on the repeat! Don’t rush and lose control.
Nighttime – I’ll hear next week.
Cloud Dance – I’ll hear next week. Listen to her shaping and phrasing.
Ballade – I’ll hear next week.
Technique is great and right on tempo.
Remember intervals are only worth 2 marks, DON’T SWEAT!
https://www.rhythmrandomizer.com?s=34020608403010205060d0e10
Sightread from your old books.
Marco
Minuet – Quarter notes vs 8th notes was great today! Good job! Keep working to eliminate any hesitation at the ends of phrases. Listen here. Memory.
The Snake – Be sure the hands are overlapping when necessary and you’re not adding any pauses in between phrases. Memory.
Song of the Dark Woods – Lovely job! Still work to lightly release the LH final note, and not let it be staccato. Memory.
Morning Fanfare – Your tempo is bang on. However, we’d rather a clean and controlled performance at any tempo, then a rushed one. Hold the fermata note that ends the intro longer, like the trumpet is echoing off the hills. You can use the book for this one. Listen to it and try and play along.
Technique – Great tempos. EVERY scale you have uses the same fingering, except for RH F major. Your mom will show you fingering charts. Remember natural means plain old notes borrowed from major scale, harmonic means raised 7th note (the snake sound).
Sightreading has really improved. Remember don’t stop for anything, even mistakes! Who cares, push onwards, do your best! Here’s more resources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK_f5m8vxKY&list=PLBjX9Vsck-AB6Fqg0-rIyWAWL7LfVs7di&ab_channel=ClassicalSqueak
Daniel
Periwinkle – Beauty. Ensure you have the quarter rest in the final measure. Memory.
Breezy – Great! Even bigger dynamics. Notice the accent on the first note of each phrase. Memory.
Entree – When reaching the end, go back to the beginning and play until the “fine” so your muscle memory learns that. It will be like playing the song 1.5 times and that’s how you will do it in the exam. It doesn’t have to be that fast. Your RH and the trill is not the “problem”, it’s the LH reaching down to the octave for beat 4. Easy fix. The metronome clicks every half note for this piece, so two clicks per measure. Play with the recording even. Memory.
The Wind – Nice tempo! I think you can linger longer on the fermatas to create more drama. Remember the ending goes from ppp to fff so go crazy with it. You can use the book for this one.
Technique – nice consistent fingering. Everytime you play a minor scale, think “what’s its relative major? who does it steal its notes from?” Eminor = Gmaj. Dmin = Fmaj. Gmin = Bb major. Harmonic is just raised 7th, melodic has raised 6th and 7th going up (like a major scale) and then lowered 6th and 7th going down (like a plain old minor scale.)
Sightreading – Remember don’t stop for anything, even mistakes! Who cares, push onwards, do your best! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKwIBNc23Lk&list=PLBjX9Vsck-ADCQngA9YdL4fFaaI3h0mSZ&ab_channel=ClassicalSqueak
Greta
CALL THE RCM TO GET YOUR EXAM CANCELLED AND VOUCHER PROVIDED :) Sorry for the inconvenience :(
*New* Mist – LH is entirely triads which we labelled. RH is quite high up, notice the 8va marking that means to play that same note one octave higher than written. When the dotted line goes away, it is back to normal. Notice the 3/4 time, and the clef changes. Listen to it here.
*New, bonus* – This Guy’s Disguised – first line only. Notice the Bb in the key signature. Listen to it here.
Think of any song requests you have!
Tuesday, May 21st
Jonah
Warmups (1min/ea)
–Triplet Exercise (Goal tempo=115)
–Sixteenth-note exercise (goal tempo=100)
–Stick Control: ex. 57-64 (160bpm)
Xylophone
–C, G, and F major scales (straight, arpeggios, broken thirds)
–El Mosquito Maron melody
–Tropical Feel**
Joel Rothman: finishing up Lesson 17
NEW SONG Herbie Hancock: Watermelon Man
–See handout on the google drive for the main groove
Francisco
Warmups (30sec/ea., find goal speed):
–8 on a hand (140bpm)
–Singles (sixteenths at 140bpm)
–doubles (16ths at 90*)
–Paradiddles (16ths at 90*)
Drumset Musician p13 ex 16-19 a)
–polish these off this week
–If you’re ready, carry on to the next four exercises
Nirvana: Smeels like Teen Spirit
–Everything up until the end of line 2
–substitute floor tom for bass in opening fill
–add final BD to the & of 4 in the main groove
Noah
Warmups:
–Triplet Exercise (1mm RH, 2mm LH) @ 95bpm**
–Sixteenth-note Exercise (on handout)
Lenny Kravitz: Are You Gonna Go My Way
–Continuing this week with p/ 2:
—-Emphasize the “&” of 4 push at the end of the first line on p2
—-Drill the fill at the end of the second line min. 5x per practice session (hands only and then add bass drum)
—-Drill the extended drum fill at the end of Verse 2
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
