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!
Music lessons, an astonishing influence on teenager’s health and well-being
How music influence teenager’s health and well-being? Music has been a fundamental part of human culture for centuries. It has the power to evoke emotions, soothe the soul, and bring people together.
Did you know that music lessons can also have a profound impact on adolescent’s health and well-being? In recent years, numerous studies have shown that drums, piano, guitar, violin lessons or music lessons in general, can play a pivotal role in shaping the physical, emotional, and cognitive development of adolescents.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the ways in which music lessons can positively influence the health and well-being of teenagers.
Boosting Cognitive Development
Music lessons for teenagers are like a workout for the brain. Learning to play an instrument involves understanding complex patterns, reading musical notation, and coordinating fine motor skills. This process stimulates brain regions responsible for memory, problem-solving, and creativity. No activity lights up as many parts of the brain more than Music does.
Studies have shown that teenagers who engage in music lessons tend to perform better academically, particularly in subjects like mathematics and language. This boost in cognitive development can provide teenagers with a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence, which are crucial for their overall well-being.
Music boost cognitive development and over all well-being.
Emotional Expression and Stress Reduction
Teenage years can be emotionally turbulent. Adolescents often grapple with feelings of anxiety, stress, and uncertainty. Music provides a safe and constructive outlet for emotional expression. Whether through playing an instrument or singing, teenagers can channel their emotions and release pent-up stress. Music has a unique ability to convey feelings that words alone cannot express, allowing teenagers to explore and process their emotions in a healthy way. This emotional release can lead to improved mental well-being and reduced stress levels.
Building Self-Confidence
Learning to master an instrument or excel in music can be a transformative experience for teenagers. As they progress in their musical journey, they gain a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence. Performing in front of others, whether in a school band or at a recital, can also boost self-esteem and help teenagers overcome stage fright and social anxiety. This newfound confidence can extend beyond the realm of music and positively impact various aspects of their lives.
Fostering Social Connections
Participating in music lessons often involves collaboration with peers in group settings. Whether in a choir, orchestra, or band, teenagers have the opportunity to form deep social connections through shared musical experiences. These connections can lead to lasting friendships, a sense of belonging, and increased social support. Having a supportive social network is vital for teenagers’ mental and emotional well-being, and music can be a powerful catalyst for building these connections.
Enhancing Discipline and Time Management
Learning an instrument requires dedication, discipline, and effective time management. Teenagers who commit to regular practice schedules and stick to them develop important life skills that extend far beyond the world of music. These skills can help teenagers excel academically, maintain healthier lifestyles, and make informed decisions about their future.
Get to know us better at https://www.music-lessons.ca/ and unleash your talent at ABC academy of music.
Incorporating music lessons into the teenagers’ lives can have a profound and lasting impact on their health and well-being. From cognitive development and emotional expression to self-confidence and social connections, the benefits of music education are wide-ranging. Parents, educators, and policymakers should recognize the importance of music education and ensure that it remains an integral part of the adolescent experience. By doing so, we can empower teenagers to lead healthier, more fulfilled lives, all while nurturing their love for music and the arts.
ABC academy of music offers drums lessons, piano lessons, guitar lessons, violin lessons, and other musical instruments to all ages book your lessons at https://www.music-lessons.ca/toronto/contact-us/
PS-DID YOU FIND THIS INTERESTING? Check out our post
“Music has a positive effect in teenagers disposition”
Additional Reading for Your Interest:
How playing an instrument benefits your brain
Thursday February 8 Lessons – Erin P
Sounding great everyone! See you next Thursday on my birthday <3
Liam – please register for exam. Teacher code is 130747
Harlequinade – Love the evenness of your LH and how you really know the piece now in your mind. In measure 3, be sure to disconnect the phrase where I have drawn the upwards arrow.
Witches and Wizards – Wow quick work! You should be proud. The metronome is for a dotted quarter note, so you will hear two clicks per measure (usually where the accents are). When you first turn on the metronome, it is a good idea to begin feeling the heat by just playing those big two beats. Then you can add in all the other notes at tempo.
*New* Rubenstein in Piano Pronto – the first page is a good goal for this week. There is a lot of chromaticism, so don’t be surprised when your LH is playing a Bb and your RH plays a B natural over it – trust your reading!
Your technique is all sounding great and is right at tempo where we need to be! Great work.
Jadon
Canon x Beautiful in White – We made great progress! Now you know the entirety of the C major part of this piece, note and rhythm wise. It is time to get it under our fingers and get it fluent through repetition.
Katarina
Bear Hug Brunch – both pieces on the flagged page. Make sure to count 2 beats for your half notes!
C major scales – Keep at it. You’re so good at your RH one, I want to hear the LH next week.
Sara
Maple Leaf Rag – AMAZING dynamics! I wouldn’t worry about it sounding “messy” a tiny bit, because it is ragtime and meant to be very loose and free. Try to take any small moment to consciouslly relax your hand out of the stretched octave position, and try to minimize tension in your arms and shoulders. Remember to breathe.
Take the A Train – Amazing counting! Playing this to a swing backing track on YouTube would be a very fun exercise. See what you think about thickening up your LH a bit more to give it a more standup bass feel, up to your personal taste!
March in D major by CPE Bach – nice job bringing the phrasing out! For each of the repeated sequences in the B section, grow louder each time.
Marco
Minuet in C – First half of the piece HT. Second half of the piece learn the LH. Your fingering is awesome.
Indiana Jones – great great great job! Keep going until the end of the piece. The only new things added are an A minor LH chord, and a RH melodic idea repeated in a different key than before, but you can use the same fingering.
Grand Day Out – refamiliarize yourself with the RH melody, and then play the root notes in put in boxes with the LH. You can play them with any finger, However, if we eventually want to make them chords, it would be wise to play them with your pinky this week so your body can get used to the position changes.
*New* Contrary motion C major scale hands together – this is your only hands together technical requirement. Thumbs both begin on middle C and then you do your standard scale fingering outwards (it creates a mirror effect where the same finger is playing in both hands at the same time).
(You’ll also see I wrote out your technique requirements on the back of your little exam prep paper).
Daniel
Pierrot Skipping – M1-16. Both hands treble clef! Good job with the rhythms. Start quieter so you have somewhere louder to go.
Formula pattern – you’re making improvements in fingering! Keep it up! Once C is mastered fingering wise, we will conquer G!
Atacama Dessert – measures 1-16. Starting at measure 9, the RH begins two measure long melodic ideas of 8th notes. Go slow and play evenly and loop the 2 bars to get comfy with the melody’s shape. Then do the same thing to the next 2 bars. The LH is simple here so you can add HT quite soon. You read the tied notes very accurately tonight.
*New* Home Sweet Home by the Crüe –
Marita
Great job playing River Dance and all of my hardest sight-reading cards today!
Prelude V – This piece uses 4 bar phrases that go somewhere unexpected harmonically at the end of the phrase. The LH is entirely 5ths and the RH uses a lot of syncopation. Listen to it here.
Greta – please register for exam. Teacher code is 130747.
*New* Minor triads broken and solid – A, D and E minor. They are all white-white-white triads. Play them hands seperate and feel triplet, like blue-ber-ry.
Red Satin Jazz – Keep going throughout the whole piece. Good job noticing the most common interval here is a 6th. When the staccato descending 6ths line at the top of page 2 happens, you can start by practicing it pinky only, and then add in the thumb. Today we played around using a 100 bpm swing drum beat on YouTube as a backing track – it’s a great practice tool. Good catch on the tied notes too.
You crushed Minuet in A minor today!! Wahoo!!
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
