Your grade 4 violin 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. Anon. The New Round O, arr. Huws Jones Violin Exam Pieces 2016-2019, Grade 4 (ABRSM)
    2. Vivaldi Allegro: 5th movt from Sonata in G, RV 25 Violin Exam Pieces 2016-2019, Grade 4 (ABRSM)
    3. Haydn Allegretto: 2nd movt from the ‘Clock’ Symphony, Hob. I/101, arr. Forbes Violin Exam Pieces 2016-2019, Grade 4 (ABRSM)
    4. Handel Presto (from Sonata for Flute, Op. 1 No. 9). Sheila M. Nelson’s Baroque Violinist (Boosey & Hawkes)
    5. D. Ortiz Recercada (violin melody). The Early Music Fiddler, arr. Huws Jones (Boosey & Hawkes)
    6. Purcell Rondeau (from Abdelazer). Superpieces, arr. Cohen (Faber) or The Best of Grade 4 Violin (Faber)

    LIST B

    1. Dancla Mazurka: No. 11 from Petite école de la mélodie, Op. 123, Book 2 Violin Exam Pieces 2016-2019, Grade 4 (ABRSM)
    2. O. Bull Sæterjentens Søndag (The Shepherd-girl’s Sunday), arr. Svendsen Violin Exam Pieces 2016-2019, Grade 4 (ABRSM)
    3. Schubert Entr’acte No. 3: No. 5 from Rosamunde, D. 797, arr. Blackwell Violin Exam Pieces 2016-2019, Grade 4 (ABRSM)
    4. Gabriel-Marie La Cinquantaine. The Best of Grade 4 Violin (Faber)
    5. F. Küchler Allegro moderato: 1st movt from Concertino in D, Op. 12 (Bosworth BOE003560)
    6. Rieding Marcia, Op. 44 (Bärenreiter BA 8982: published with Rondo, Op. 22/3)

    LIST C

    1. Paul Desmond Take Five, arr. Huws Jones Violin Exam Pieces 2016-2019, Grade 4 (ABRSM)
    2. Weill & Brecht Tango–Ballade, arr. Frenkel Violin Exam Pieces 2016-2019, Grade 4 (ABRSM)
    3. Timothy Salter Daydream Violin Exam Pieces 2016-2019, Grade 4 (ABRSM)
    4. Daphne Baker Harlequin (Spartan Press SP232)
    5. Scott Skinner MacPherson’s Blade. Alastair Hardie’s Compliments to ‘The King’ (Hardie Press)
    6. Ros Stephen Milonga pampeana. No. 11 from Argentinian Tango and Folk Tunes for Violin, arr. Stephen (Schott ED 13379: Milonga pampeana piano accomp. published separately, ED 13692)

    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 Violin Grade 4 Scales 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 Violin 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 4-5 Book (a guide with tests) and/or ABRSM Specimen Sight-Reading Tests Grades 4-5 Book (specimen tests).

     

    *Information correct at time of publishing 14.03.16


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