Your grade 1 viola ABRSM exam will be marked out of 150 and you will need a total of 100 marks to Pass, 120 marks for a Merit and 130 marks for a Distinction.  The exam comprises of four main areas:

    Pieces

    In your exam you are required to play three pieces (worth up to 30 marks each), one from each of the three lists, A, B and C below:

    LIST A

    1. Byrd La Volta. More Time Pieces for Viola, Vol. 1, arr. Lamb and Meredith (ABRSM)
    2. Katherine and Hugh Colledge Fiddlesticks: No. 18 from Waggon Wheels for Viola (Boosey & Hawkes)
    3. Handel Menuet. Starters for Viola, arr. Salter (ABRSM)
    4. Suzuki Andantino. No. 12 from Suzuki Viola School, Vol. 1 (Alfred–Summy-Birchard 0241S: piano accomp. published separately, 0245S)
    5. Trad. English Shepherd’s Hey. No. 3 from First Repertoire for Viola, Book 1, arr. Wilkinson and Hart (Faber)
    6. Trad. English When a Knight Won His Spurs. No. 1 from Play it Again for Viola, arr. Scott (Faber)

    LIST B

    1. T. H. Bayly Long, Long Ago. No. 8 from Suzuki Viola School, Vol. 1 (Alfred–Summy-Birchard 0241S: piano accomp. published separately, 0245S)
    2. Kathy and David Blackwell Rocking Horse. No. 40 from Viola Time Joggers, arr. Blackwell (OUP: piano accomp. published separately)
    3. Katherine and Hugh Colledge Full Moon: No. 22 from Waggon Wheels for Viola (Boosey & Hawkes)
    4. Elgar Pomp and Circumstance March No. 4, Op. 39 No. 4. More Time Pieces for Viola, Vol. 1, arr. Lamb and Meredith (ABRSM)
    5. Kabalevsky Waltz. No. 8 from First Repertoire for Viola, Book 1, arr. Wilkinson and Hart (Faber)
    6. Trad. Canadian Land of the Silver Birch. O Shenandoah! for Viola, arr. Waterfield and Beach (Faber)

    LIST C

    1. Kathy and David Blackwell Viola Time. No. 47 from Viola Time Joggers, arr. Blackwell (OUP: piano accomp. published separately)
    2. Kathy and David Blackwell I Got those Viola Blues. No. 22 from Viola Time Runners, arr. Blackwell (OUP: piano accomp. published separately)
    3. Margery Dawe Russia – Gopak: No. 5 from Travel Tunes for Viola (Cramer: piano accomp. published separately)
    4. Menken & Ashman Under the Sea (from The Little Mermaid). More Time Pieces for Viola, Vol. 1, arr. Lamb and Meredith (ABRSM)
    5. Salter Best Foot Forward. Starters for Viola, arr. Salter (ABRSM)
    6. Trad. American Oh Susanna! No. 15 from Play it Again for Viola, arr. Scott (Faber)

    Scales & Arpeggios

    As part of your exam you are also required to play scales & arpeggios from memory (worth up to 21 marks) - please see the ABRSM Viola Grades 1-5 Scale Book

    Sight-Reading Test

    You will also be required to sight-read some music that you have not seen before (worth up to 21 marks) - to prepare for this part of your exam please see the ABRSM Viola Grades 1-5 Sight-Reading Book which has a selection of specimen sight-reading pieces.

    Aural Tests

    In another part of your exam you will be required to complete a set of aural tests challenging your musicianship (worth up to 18 marks). To help prepare for this please see the ABRSM Aural Training in Practice Grades 1-3 Book (a guide with tests) and/or ABRSM Specimen Sight-Reading Tests Grades 1-3 Book (specimen tests).

     

    *Information correct at time of publishing 14.03.16


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