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Please use the links below to find the titles recommended in the ABRSM Cello Grade 1 from 2024.
Grade 1 Pieces
One piece must be chosen from each of Lists A, B and C:
Please note that the first three pieces in each list are found in ABRSM Cello Exam Pieces Grade 1 from 2024 in different formats:
Part only, Cello & Piano Parts, Cello & Piano Parts with Audio
Grade 1 Scales
Grade 1 Sight-Reading
Cello Specimen Sight-Reading, Grades 1-5
Grade 1 Aural
Specimen Aural Tests, Grades 1-3
Aural Training in Practice, Grades 1-3
Grade 1 Pieces
One piece must be chosen from each of Lists A, B and C:
| List A | Composer | Piece Details | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lajos Ács | Bear’s Dance | |
| 2 | Arbeau | Branle des Sabots (from Orchésographie), arr. Black & Harris | |
| 3 | J. Clarke | Minuet (from Keyboard Suite in C minor), arr. Blackwell | |
| 4 | Kathy & David Blackwell | DUET/PIANO | Cello Time Joggers (OUP) |
| Cello Time Joggers Cello Time Joggers Piano Accompaniments (OUP) | |||
| Cello Time Joggers Cello Accompaniment Book (OUP) | |||
| 5 | Blow | Air, arr. Bruce & Wells | More Time Pieces for Cello, Vol. 1 (ABRSM) |
| 6 | Corrette | Minuet, arr. Thorp & Blackman – p. 6 version DUET/PIANO | P. 6 from A Flying Start for Strings, Cello Book 3 (Flying Strings) |
| 7 | Purcell | Rigadoon, arr. Nelson with repeat | Piece by Piece 1 for Cello (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 8 | Trad. | Dance to your daddy, arr. Nelson | Piece by Piece 1 for Cello (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 9 | Janice Tucker Rhoda | A Shakespeare Play | The ABC’s of Cello, Book 1 (Carl Fischer) |
| 10 | Suzuki | Andantino, arr. Mooney DUET/PIANO | Suzuki Cello School, Vol. 1 (Alfred) |
| Suzuki Cello School Volume 1 – Piano Accompaniment (Alfred) | |||
| 11 | Bartók | The Two Roses (No. 3 from For Children, Vol. 2), arr. Davies | Bartók for Cello (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 12 | Bréval | Moderato (No. 3 from Three Easy Duets) DUET | Duets for Fun: Cellos (Schott) |
| 13 | Suzuki | Allegro | Suzuki Cello School, Vol. 1 (Alfred) |
| Suzuki Cello School Volume 1 – Piano Accompaniment (Alfred) | |||
| List B | |||
| 1 | Jennifer Andrews | Song (No. 6 from The Mellow Cello) | |
| 2 | Christopher Norton | Pitlochry (No.15 from The Microjazz Cello Collection 1) | |
| 3 | Trad. Scottish | Skye Boat Song, arr. Gritton | |
| 4 | T. H. Bayly | Long, Long Ago, arr. Suzuki & Mooney – DUET/PIANO | Suzuki Cello School, Vol. 1 (Alfred) |
| Suzuki Cello School Volume 1 – Piano Accompaniment (Alfred) | |||
| 5 | Kathy & David Blackwell | Rocking Horse DUET/PIANO | Cello Time Joggers (OUP) |
| Cello Time Joggers Cello Time Joggers Piano Accompaniments (OUP) | |||
| Cello Time Joggers Cello Accompaniment Book (OUP) | |||
| 6 | Carse | A Little Reverie | Carse: Two Short Pieces (Stainer & Bell) |
| 7 | Katherine & Hugh Colledge | Full Moon (No. 22 from Waggon Wheels) | Katherine & Hugh Colledge: Waggon Wheels for Cello (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 8 | Thomas Gregory | Alpine Waltz | Vamoosh Cello, Book 1 (Vamoosh) |
| Vamoosh String Book 1 – Piano Accompaniments (Vamoosh) | |||
| 9 | Lully | Ariette, arr. Feuillard | Le jeune violincelliste, Vol. 1A (Edition Delrieu) |
| 10 | Trad. English | Scarborough Fair, arr. Koeppen DUET/PIANO | Cello Method: Tune Book 1 (Schott) |
| 11 | Fauré | Berceuse (from Dolly, Op. 56), arr. Bruce & Wells | More Time Pieces for Cello, Vol. 1 (ABRSM) |
| 12 | Haydn | Poco adagio (from String Quartet, ‘Emperor’, Op. 76 No. 3), arr. Bruce & Wells | More Time Pieces for Cello, Vol. 1 (ABRSM) |
| 13 | Sugár | Old Hungarian Folk Song, arr. Lengyel & Pejtsik | No. 27 from Violoncello Music for Beginners, Vol. 1 (EMB Zeneműkiadó) |
| List C | |||
| 1 | Bartók | Baking Song (No.1 from For Children, Vol. 1), arr. Davies | |
| 2 | Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (from Mary Poppins), arr. K. & D. Blackwell | ||
| 3 | Trad. Zulu | Siyahamba, arr. Iles | |
| 4 | Benoy & L. Burrowes | Victory March DUET | The First-Year Violoncello Method (Novello) |
| 5 | Alan Bullard | Hungarian Dance (from Party Time!) | Alan Bullard: Party Time! for Cello (ABRSM) |
| 6 | Katherine & Hugh Colledge | Lollipop Man (No. 26 from Waggon Wheels) | Katherine & Hugh Colledge: Waggon Wheels for Cello (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 7 | Thomas Gregory | Fiery Fiddler with repeats | Vamoosh Cello, Book 1 (Vamoosh) |
| Vamoosh String Book 1 – Piano Accompaniments (Vamoosh) | |||
| 8 | Huws Jones | Toodle-Pip (No.18 from Ten O’Clock Rock) | Huws Jones: Ten O’Clock Rock for Cello (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| Ten O'Clock Rock – 18 Concert Pieces for Beginner – Piano Accompaniment (Boosey & Hawkes) | |||
| 9 | Trad. Congolese | Banaha, arr. Bruce & Wells | More Time Pieces for Cello, Vol. 1 (ABRSM) |
| 10 | Celia Cobb & Naomi Yandell | Cool Beans (No.14 from Cool Beans) stamping optional DUET | Cobb & Yandell: Cool Beans Cello Duets (Stainer & Bell) |
| 11 | Ailbhe McDonagh | Spring Parade (No. 8 from It’s a Cello Thing, Book 1) | Ailbhe McDonagh: It’s a Cello Thing, Book 1 (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 12 | Christopher Norton | Snooker Table (No. 22 from The Microjazz Cello Collection 1) | Christopher Norton: The Microjazz Cello Collection 1 (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 13 | Saint-Saëns | The Elephant (from The Carnival of the Animals), arr. Black & Harris | Time Pieces for Cello, Vol. 1 (ABRSM) |
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ABRSM Cello Grade 1 from 2024 additional resources & information
Theory of Music
ABRSM Theory of Music Exam Materials
Additional Theory of Music Resources
ABRSM Cello Grade 1 from 2024
Overlap
Bowed Strings candidates worldwide may play their three pieces from the 2020–2023 Bowed Strings Syllabus until 31 December 2024. All pieces must be from the same syllabus – candidates may not present a mixture from old and new syllabuses.
Amendments
The ABRSM will post updates to the syllabus e.g. changes to publication details or other minor corrections or clarifications at www.abrsm.org/syllabuscorrections.
Revision
The ABRSM has not scheduled the next revision of the Cello Syllabus. The ABRSM will post advance notice of planned changes to the Cello Syllabus (including syllabus overlap information) at www.abrsm.org/syllabusupdates.
Photocopies & downloads
Candidates should not perform from unauthorised photocopies (or other kinds of copies) or illegal downloads of copyright music in examinations. There are limited circumstances where can copies be used in an examination the UK. The MPA’s Code of Fair Practice gives further guidance. Before making a copy an application should be made to the copyright holder and evidence of permission should be brought to the exam. Candidates and Applicants must act within the law with regard to copyright.