Please use the links below to find the titles recommended in the ABRSM Violin Grade 8 Syllabus from 2024:

Grade 8 pre-requisite for entry

Grade 5 (or above) in Music Theory, Practical Musicianship or a Practical Grades solo Jazz instrument. For alternatives, see www.abrsm.org/prerequisite

Grade 8 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 Violin Exam Pieces Grade 8 from 2024 available in different formats:

Violin & Piano Parts or Violin & Piano Parts with Audio

Please see the list below of other pieces for Grade 8.

Grade 8 Scales

ABRSM Violin Scales Grade 8

Grade 8 Sight-Reading

ABRSM Violin Specimen Sight-Reading Grades 6-8

Grade 8 Aural

Specimen Aural Tests Grade 8 (book only)
Specimen Aural Tests Grade 8 (book and CD)
Aural Training in Practice Grades 6-8 (book and CD)

Grade 8 Pieces

One piece must be chosen from each of Lists A, B and C.

List A

1. Dauvergne Allegro (4th movt from Sonata in E, Op. 2 No.11
2. Mozart Allegro con spirito (1st movt from Sonata No. 6, K. 306)
3. Nardini Allegro moderato (1st movt from Concerto in E minor), arr. Hauser
4. J. S. Bach Allemanda (1st movt from Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004) SOLO J. S. Bach: Three Sonatas and Three Partitas, BWV 1001– 1006 (Bärenreiter) J. S. Bach 1st movt (from Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041) violin to play in tuttis J. S. Bach: Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041 (Henle) or J. S. Bach: Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041 (Bärenreiter)
5. Beethoven Allegro vivace (3rd movt from Sonata in G, Op. 30 No. 3)
   Beethoven: Sonatas for Piano and Violin, Vol. 2 (Henle)
6. Corelli Vivace, Adagio and Allegro (3rd, 4th and 5th movts from Sonata in F, Op. 5 No. 4) ornamentation in 4th movt optional Corelli: Violin Sonatas, Op. 5, Vol. 1 (Wiener Urtext) or Corelli: 12 Sonatas, Op. 5, Vol. 1 (Schott)
7. Kammel Tempo giusto (3rd movt from Sonata in A, Op.10 No. 2) bb. 44–45, 102–3 & 110–111 may be separately bowed Bohemian Violin Sonatas, Vol. 1 (Henle)
8. Mozart Largo–Allegro (1st movt from Sonata in B b, K. 454) Mozart: Sonatas for Piano and Violin, Vol. 3 (Henle) or Mozart: Complete Works for Piano and Violin,
   Vol. 2 (Bärenreiter)
9. Schreivogel Larghetto and Vivace (2nd and 1st movts from Sonata in Eb) Schreivogel: Sonata in Eb (Edition HH)
10. Haydn Allegro moderato (1st movt from Concerto in G, Hob. VIIa:4) Haydn: Concerto No. 2 in G, Hob. VIIa/4 (Peters)
11. Stravinsky Introduzione and Serenata (1st and 2nd movts from Suite Italienne), trans. Stravinsky & Dushkin Stravinsky: Suite Italienne for Violin (Boosey & Hawkes)
12. Vivaldi Allegro (1st movt from Concerto in E, ‘La Primavera’, Op. 8 No.1, RV 269)
    Vivaldi: Concerto in E, Op. 8 No.1 ‘Spring’ (Peters)

List B

1. A. Beach Romance, Op. 23
2. S. Coleridge-Taylor African Dance No. 2 (from Four African Dances, Op. 58)
   Suk Un poco triste (No. 3 from Four Pieces, Op.17)
3. Albéniz Tango, Op.165 No. 2, arr. Kreisler Albéniz: Tango for Violin, arr. Kreisler (Schott) or Fritz Kreisler Repertoire (Schott)
4. Brahms Presto agitato (4th movt from Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op.108)
   Brahms: Sonata in D minor, Op.108 (Bärenreiter) or Brahms: Sonata for Piano and Violin, Op.108 (Wiener Urtext)
5. Lalo Andante (4th movt from Symphonie espagnole, Op. 21) Lalo: Symphonie espagnole, Op. 21 (Peters) or Lalo: Symphonie espagnole, Op. 21 (Henle)
6. Florentine Mulsant Chant (3rd movt from Suite pour violon, Op. 50) SOLO Florentine Mulsant: Suite pour violon, Op. 50 (Furore Verlag)
7. Saint-Saëns Élégie, Op.143 Saint-Saëns: Élégie, Op.143 (Durand)
8. Tchaikovsky Canzonetta: Andante (2nd movt from Concerto in D, Op. 35) SOLO Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D, Op. 35 (Peters) or Three Romantic Violin Concertos (G. Schirmer)
9. Trad. Hebrew Hatikvah, arr. Andrew Hatikvah (Hal Leonard)
10. Chaminade Romanza (No. 2 from Trois morceaux, Op. 31) Chaminade: Trois morceaux, Op. 31 (Masters Music Publications)
11. Grieg Allegretto tranquillo (2nd movt from Sonata in G, Op.13) Grieg: Sonata in G, Op.13 (Peters)
12. John Williams Remembrances (from Schindler’s List) observing printed cadenza John Williams: Three Pieces from Schindler’s List (Wise)

List C

1. L. Boulanger D’un matin de printemps
2. Reena Esmail Varsha SOLO
3. Drdla Mazurka No. 2, Op. 23
4. Bartók Buciumeana, Poargă românească and Mărunțel (Nos. 4, 5 and 6 from Romanian Folk Dances), trans. Székely Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances for Violin (Boosey & Hawkes) or Romanian Folk Dances for Violin (Universal)
5. Chen Yi Fisherman’s Song Chen Yi: Fisherman’s Song (Presser)
6. Finzi Hornpipe rondo (3rd movt from Concerto for Violin) Finzi: Violin Concerto (Boosey & Hawkes) or The Boosey and Hawkes Violin Anthology (Boosey & Hawkes)
7. G. & I. Gershwin & Heyward It ain’t necessarily so (from Porgy and Bess), trans. Heifetz Porgy and Bess Selections for Violin (Faber)
8. ten Have Allegro brillant, Op.19 ten Have: Allegro brillant, Op.19 (Bosworth) or Solos for Young Violinists, Vol. 4 (Alfred)
9. Joby Talbot November: Eleven (from Once Around the Sun) with repeat SOLO
   Joby Talbot: November: Eleven for Violin (Chester)
10. Bacewicz Polish Caprice SOLO Bacewicz: Polish Caprice (PWM)
11. Helen Grime Romance for Violin Helen Grime: Romance for Violin (Chester)
12. V. Monti Czardas V. Monti: Czardas for Violin (Ricordi) or V. Monti: Czardas for Violin ( Peters)
13. Ravel Blues–Moderato (2nd movt from Violin Sonata No. 2) Ravel: Sonate pour Violon (Durand)

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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.