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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Assignments from February 19th
Hello Everybody!
Great lessons this week!
Georgia:
If you find time to practice between games this week, please have Georgia review The Rainbow, playing hands separate. Encourage her to name the notes out loud to support her sight reading. Remind her to play all notes for their full written value.
Benji:
Today we focused on playing scales. At home, Benji can practice playing the C Major scale hands together slowly. Remind him to pay close attention to which finger he should be using for each note in both hands as the fingering patterns between the two hands are mirrored, even though they play the same notes at the same time. Remember, the first finger in piano is the thumb! Benji can also practice the G Major scale hands separate. This scale has one sharp! Benji should pay close attention to the keys to make sure he skips over F natural (the white key) and plays F# instead (the black key) Be careful not to play both as F natural does not belong in this scale! Please help Benji to review the notes in the first two phrases of Young Hunter in his book as well. We will continue with this next week.
Clara:
This week, continue to work on Musette in D Major. focus on bridging the gaps between bars in the A section. Use the technique we learned in class to help teach your hands how to navigate repositioning on the piano; at the end of one phrase play the right hand part and start the continuing phrase with the left, then switch. This will help make it clear to your ear how the two phrases are supposed to connect and make it more clear to your hands how they are to work together. Try playing the two phrases together after and record yourself so that you can listen to whether the lines flow together or if there is still a break in the line. Continue to review the B section hands separate. Practice that tonicization of e minor extra slow and name the notes out loud to help you navigate the chromatic line confidently. Choose a new song to start next week.
Thank you eveyone!
Looking forward to more great work next week!
Saturday, February 14th
Jack
Seeing the new progress Jack has been making, I would like start him on the Visual Drumset Method book. This is rather similar to what we have been doing, visualising different drum patterns, but now these help transitioning him into more conventional grooves. Work on the page printed at the moment, and once we have the book, we will work towards later page!
Adam
We started with some rudiments this class. To warm up for each practise session, play the exercise in the bottom. Play each version for around 4 repeats, with an aim to match the tone coming out of right hand and left hand and each additional hit. In other words, RRRR should ideally sound the same as RLRL or RRLL. Then we moved onto doing more of Enter Sandman. He did a great job learning the main groove and catching how it works in conjunction with the guitar riff when we play with the track. My next goal for him to connect from the intro groove, play the tom fill, and play into this main groove.
Nicolas
We started with a little warmup playing scales, then moved on to a page from George Hamilton Green’s Beginners Method for Xylophone. I started him on several exercises in F Major as that was the key that the Hymn of Freedom is in. These exercises are all about efficient movement and building dexterity in all the small muscle groups as well as movement planning. I pointed out to Nicolas that he should plan a trajectory for his hand before he plays, so his arm is not doing unnecessary movement. This is crucial to also playing faster passages in the future, but also having an understanding of mallet control. Practise the exercises assigned and also start giving Merry Go Around a read. A crucial skill to master here is the ability to play double stops and understanding voicing.
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
