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Please use the links below to find the titles recommended in the ABRSM Viola Initial Grade from 2024 Syllabus:
Initial Grade Pieces
One piece must be chosen from each of Lists A, B and C.
| List A | Composer | Piece details | Publications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vivaldi | Autumn (from The Four Seasons, Op. 8), arr. K. & D. Blackwell | Viola Exam Pack from 2024, Initial Grade, piano parts and audio (ABRSM) |
| 2 | Trad. English | The Old Woman and the Pedlar, arr. Bullard | Viola Exam Pack from 2024, Initial Grade, piano parts and audio (ABRSM) |
| 3 | Trad. Welsh | Pwt ar y Bys, arr. Gritton | Viola Exam Pack from 2024, Initial Grade, piano parts and audio (ABRSM) |
| 4 | Kathy & David Blackwell | Beach Holiday | Viola Time Starters with CD (OUP) |
| 5 | Kathy & David Blackwell | More Mini Mozart with repeat using bowing variation 2 | No. 68 from Viola Time Starters with CD(OUP) |
| 6 | Katherine & Hugh Colledge | Knickerbocker Glory (No.10 from Waggon Wheels) | Katherine & Hugh Colledge: Waggon Wheels for Viola, Piano, Online Audio (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 7 | Cutter | Little March, arr. C. & K. Sassmannshaus – ending at b. 20 DUET/PIANO |
Viola Recital Album, Vol. 1 (Bärenreiter) |
| 8 | Trad. German | Lightly Row, arr. C. & K. Sassmannshaus – ending at b. 16 DUET/PIANO |
Viola Recital Album, Vol. 1 (Bärenreiter) |
| 9 | Trad. | Go Tell Aunt Rhody, arr. Suzuki, Stuen-Walker & trans. Preucil DUET/PIANO | Suzuki Viola School, Vol. 1 (Alfred) |
| 10 | Trad. | Secret Agents, arr. Davey, Hussey & Sebba – with repeat DUET/PIANO | Abracadabra Viola Pupils Book (Third Edition) (Collins Music) |
| Abracadabra Viola Pupil's Book &2 CDs (Third Edition) (Collins Music) | |||
| Abracadabra String Beginners Teacher's Book | |||
| Abracadabra Strings Book 1 – Piano Accompaniment | |||
| 11 | Kathy & David Blackwell | City Lights DUET/PIANO | Viola Time Joggers with CD (OUP) |
| Viola Time Joggers with Online Audio (OUP) | |||
| Viola Time Joggers, Piano Accompaniment (3rd Edition) (OUP) | |||
| 12 | S. Nelson | Choo chug-a-chug ‘E’ version DUET/PIANO | P. 22 from Tetratunes for Viola (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| Tetratunes – Piano Accompaniment (Boosey & Hawkes)< | |||
| 13 | Mark Wilson & Paul Wood | Oh, What a Day! | No. 38 from Mark Wilson & Paul Wood: Stringtastic Beginners for Viola (Faber) |
| Stringtastic Beginners: Teacher's Accompaniment (Piano) | |||
| List B | |||
| 1 | Althea Talbot-Howard” | The Knights’ Pavane | Viola Exam Pack from 2024, Initial Grade, piano parts and audio (ABRSM) |
| 2 | Taki | New Year, arr. Litten | Viola Exam Pack from 2024, Initial Grade, piano parts and audio (ABRSM) |
| 3 | Trad. French | Au clair de la lune, arr. Bullard | Viola Exam Pack from 2024, Initial Grade, piano parts and audio (ABRSM) |
| 4 | Kathy & David Blackwell | Rowing Boat DUET/PIANO | Viola Time Joggers with CD (OUP) |
| Viola Time Joggers with Online Audio (OUP) | |||
| Viola Time Joggers, Piano Accompaniment (3rd Edition) (OUP) | |||
| 5 | Katherine & Hugh Colledge | Waterfall (No. 9 from Waggon Wheels) | Katherine & Hugh Colledge: Waggon Wheels for Viola Piano, Online Audio (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 6 | Thomas Gregory | Footprints in the Snow | Vamoosh Viola, Book 1 with online audio (Vamoosh) |
| Vamoosh String Book 1 – Piano Accompaniments (Vamoosh) | |||
| 7 | Huws Jones | Gone for Good (No.12 from Ten O’Clock Rock) | Huws Jones: Ten O’Clock Rock for Viola (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| Ten O'Clock Rock – 18 Concert Pieces for Beginner – Piano Accompaniment | |||
| 8 | S. Nelson | I am a River | The Essential String Method, Viola Book 2 (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| Essential String Method Vol. 1 and 2 – Piano Accompaniment for Violin/Viola | |||
| 9 | S. Nelson | Swingalong ‘E’ version DUET/PIANO | P. 22 from Tetratunes for Viola (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| Tetratunes – Piano Accompaniment (Boosey & Hawkes)< | |||
| 10 | Trad. French | French Folk Song, arr. Suzuki & trans. Preucil | Suzuki Viola School, Vol. 1 (Alfred) |
| 11 | Katherine & Hugh Colledge | Hills and Dales (No.11 from Waggon Wheels) | Katherine & Hugh Colledge: Waggon Wheels for Viola, Piano, Online Audio (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 12 | Jemima Oosthuizen | Ladybird Laze with repeat | Jemima Oosthuizen: Bees in the Belfry for Viola (Wild Music Publications) |
| 13 | Mark Wilson & Paul Wood | Music for a Rainy Day | No. 38 from Mark Wilson & Paul Wood: Stringtastic Beginners for Viola (Faber) |
| Stringtastic Beginners: Teacher's Accompaniment (Piano) | |||
| List C | |||
| 1 | Nancy Litten | Crunch Time | Viola Exam Pack from 2024, Initial Grade, piano parts and audio (ABRSM) |
| 2 | Trad. American | Let us chase the squirrel, arr. K. & D. Blackwell | Viola Exam Pack from 2024, Initial Grade, piano parts and audio (ABRSM) |
| 3 | Trad. German | Kuckuck, Kuckuck, ruft’s aus dem Wald, arr. Blackwell | Viola Exam Pack from 2024, Initial Grade, piano parts and audio (ABRSM) |
| 4 | Kathy & David Blackwell | Rhythm Fever DUET/PIANO | Viola Time Joggers with CD (OUP) |
| Viola Time Joggers with Online Audio (OUP) | |||
| Viola Time Joggers, Piano Accompaniment (3rd Edition) (OUP) | |||
| 5 | Thomas Gregory | Walk on Mars! slides optional; with DC, as in accomp. | Vamoosh Viola, Book 1 with online audio (Vamoosh) |
| Vamoosh String Book 1 – Piano Accompaniments (Vamoosh) | |||
| 6 | Anita Hewitt-Jones & Caroline Lumsden | Have a Cup of Tea (from Bread and Butter Pudding) | Lumsden & Hewitt-Jones: Bread and Butter Pudding vln/vla and Piano (Musicland) |
| 7 | Huws Jones | Ink-Spot (No.11 from Ten O’Clock Rock) | Huws Jones: Ten O’Clock Rock for Viola (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| Ten O'Clock Rock – 18 Concert Pieces for Beginner – Piano Accompaniment | |||
| 8 | Huws Jones | Ten O’Clock Rock (No. 9 from Ten O’Clock Rock) | Huws Jones: Ten O’Clock Rock for Viola (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| Ten O'Clock Rock – 18 Concert Pieces for Beginner – Piano Accompaniment | |||
| 9 | Caroline Lumsden & Pam Wedgwood | Jungle Footprints (from Jackaroo) scream optional | Lumsden & Pam Wedgwood: Jackaroo for Viola (Faber) |
| 10 | Trad. German | Pit a Pat Rain, arr. C. & K. Sassmannshaus DUET/PIANO | Viola Recital Album, Vol. 1 (Bärenreiter) |
| 11 | Kathy & David Blackwell | In the Groove DUET/PIANO | Viola Time Joggers with CD (OUP) |
| Viola Time Joggers with Online Audio (OUP) | |||
| Viola Time Joggers, Piano Accompaniment (3rd Edition) (OUP) | |||
| 12 | Celia Cobb & Naomi Yandell | On the Go (No. 5 from Cool Beans) DUET | Celia Cobb & Naomi Yandell: Cool Beans Viola Duets (Stainer & Bell) |
| 13 | Paul Harris & Jessica O'Leary | Dance of the Broken Bridge | Viola Basics (Faber) |
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ABRSM Viola Initial Grade from 2024 additional resources & information
Theory of Music
ABRSM Theory of Music Exam Materials
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ABRSM Viola Initial Grade 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 Viola Syllabus. The ABRSM will post advance notice of planned changes to the Viola 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.