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!
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Latest Homework from Gergely
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Assignments from April 12th
Hello Berke!
Great progress today!
At home, please continue to practice Mozart’s Minuet in F. Play thought the whole song once or twice in both hands while focusing on the rhythm and timing of the music before going back and playing the song hands separate. When playing the song separate, focus on the musicality of the piece. The goal is to play both phrases smoothly. Play around with it, feel free to play louder or softer, pressing harder or gently on the keys. If you can, record yourself playing the song so that you can listen back, then decide if you want to play certain bars a specific way (louder, softer, faster, slower etc.). We will review this and talk more about musicality next week. On your own, please try to sight read the next 4 bars of Moonlight Sonata; build the chords slowly from the bottom up, make note of anything you are unsure of and we will correct any mistakes next week. Finally, please fill in the chord worksheet I gave you at the end of class. Using the two examples above (C and D Major) determine which chords in G major are Major and which are Minor. Remember to make note of any sharps in G major. Then, using the sheet you filled in, play through all if the chords in G Major.
Happy practicing!
Assignments from April 10th
Hello!
Great work in class this week all around!
Noreet
Today we reviewed the 4/4 and 3/4 time signatures as well as practiced lining up the Macro and Micro beats within a song. Please have Noreet practice Mr. Haydn’s theme with the metronome set to 85BPM (beats per minute). We reviewed this piece in class together, if she gets stuck please help remind her that the song starts on a D in G major and will modulate into C Major at the end of the first phrase. Encourage her to practice the song as if she is performing it. Noreet can also continue to practice Daydream hands separate. We read the whole piece together in class, encourage her to focus on the fingerings for this piece to ensure her fingers don’t get tangled.
Vida
Today we worked on Homeward Bound and Under the Sea! At home, please help Vida to sight read the second page of Under the Sea. While practicing Under the Sea, help Vida to identify and write in any large intervals she finds tricky. Continue to practice Homeward Bound at home, paying close attention to the indicated phrases in the piece. Encourage Vida to play the whole phrase (as indicated by the legato line) connected and smooth before moving onto the next phrase of the song. I have also uploaded a phrases worksheet for Vida to fill in at home.
Eva
We started a new song this week! Please help Eva to practice the first phrase of this song. She can identify all of the notes in the first phrase, should she get stuck when rereading the music, ask her if the next note moves up or down from the last note and by how many steps. Eva also likes to take turns when practicing, feel free to show her how to play a specific bar within the first phrase and ask her to copy it. Eva can also continue to write songs at home using the note values we have studied in class (whole note, dotted half note, half note, quarter note, eighth note). Please help Eva when writing these to ensure the bars are “balanced”. Choose to write the song in either 4/4 or 3/4 time and help Eva to make sure her chosen note values add up to 3 or 4 (depending on which time signature she chooses). Then encourage Eva to play the song on the keyboard.
Thank you everyone! See you all next week!
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
