Strings

How can I determine my playing level?

LAYP Playing Level	CM Level	RCM Grade	ABRSM Grade
5-6	4-5	4-5	3-4
7-10	6-8	6-8	5-6
11-12	9-11	9-10	7-8

Our Playing Level 5-6 are similar to RCM Grade 4-5 or ABRSM Grade 3-4
Our Playing Level 7-10 are similar to RCM Grade 6-8 or ABRSM Grade 5-6
Our Playing Level 11-12 are similar to RCM Grade 9-10 or ABRSM Grade 7-8
CM syllabus can be purchased at the MTAC Teacher Portal store.
Click here to see RCM syllabus.
Click here to see ABRSM syllabus

Q: I am participating in another certificate or competition program such as ASTACAP, SYMF, Satori, WMCF etc. How can I determine my playing level in this case?

A: Talk to your private teacher along with this playing level information (above). Your teacher will easily figure out your playing level referring to this chart.

Scale, Arpeggio, & Chromatic Examples

Playing Level 5-9:

• Play two or three- octave scale, arpeggio (tonic), & chromatic as fast as possible to demonstrate fluency in the key which your solo audition piece is written in before you perform it.
• If it is written in the minor key, play the melodic minor.

Playing Level 10-12:

To watch an example video of scale/arpeggio/chromatic, click here

To watch an example video of an audition solo piece, click here

• Scale & Arpeggio: Play three or four- octave scale & arpeggio (tonic) as fast as possible to demonstrate fluency in the key which your solo audition piece is written in before you perform it. If is written in the minor key, play melodic minor. Violin/viola students may play in Carl Flesch Scale System.
• Chromatic scale is required. Play 3 octave- chromatic scale starting on the tonic of the key your solo piece is written in.
• Recommended (violin/viola only): Scales in thirds, sixths, octaves, or artificial harmonics are not required but one of them is recommended. This recommendation is for violin & viola only. The cello & double bass students do not need to do this.
• Atonal: If your solo piece is atonal or non-traditional, play F-sharp major or E-flat melodic minor scale.

Violin

	Playing Level 5 – 6 Suggested Repertoire
Composer	Piece Title	Source
Vivaldi	Concerto in A Minor, Op. 3, No. 6	Suzuki 4
Vivaldi	Concerto in C Major, RV 181a	contact us
Vivaldi	Concerto in D Major, RV 231	contact us
Vivaldi	Concerto in G Minor, Op. 12. No. 1	Suzuki 5
Vivaldi	Concerto in G Major, Op. 3, No. 3	contact us
E. Mollenhauer	The Boy Paganini	imslp.org
H. Bishop	Home Sweet Home	contact us
Henry Farmer	The Blue Bells of Scotland	contact us

	Playing Level 7 – 9 Suggested Repertoire
Composer	Piece Title	Source
Haydn	Concerto No. 2 in G Major	*Breikopf
Accolay	Concerto No. 1 in A Minor	**Schirmer’s
Mozart	Concerto No. 3 in G Major	Schirmer’s
Bach	Concerto No. 1 in A Minor or No 2 in E Major	Suzuki 7
Vivaldi	Four Seasons- Spring, Autumn, Summer, or Winter (solo violin)	Schirmer’s
Haydn	Concerto in C Major, Op. 48	***Int’l music
Mozart	Rondo in G Major	Int’l music
Beriot	Concerto in A Minor, No. 9, Op. 104	Int’l music

	Playing Level 10 – 12 Suggested Repertoire
Kreisler	Praeludium and Allegro in the Style of Pugnani
Mozart	Violin Concerto No. 1  in B-flat Major
Mozart	Violin Concerto No. 5  in D Major
Viotti	Violin Concerto No. 22 (in a) or No. 23 (in G)
Mendelssohn	Violin Concerto in E Minor
Bruch	Violin Concerto in G Minor, No. 1, Op. 26
Beethoven	Violin Concerto in D Major
Beethoven	Romance in F Major, Op. 50
Brahms	Violin Concerto in D Major
Dvorak	Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53
Lalo	Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21
Saint-Saens	Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso
Saint-Saens	Violin Concerto in B Minor, No. 3
Sibelius	Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47
Tchaikovsky	Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35
Vieuxtemps	Violin Concerto No. 4 (in d) or No. 5 (in a)
Sarasate	Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20
Khatchaturian	Violin Concerto
Szymanowski	Violin Concerto No. 1 or No. 2
Prokofiev	Violin Concerto No. 1 (in D), or No. 2 (in g)
Paganini	Violin Concerto No. 1 (in D) or No. 2 (in b)
Wieniawski	Violin Concerto No. 1 (in F-sharp) or No. 2 (in d)
Penderecki	Violin Concerto No. 1, or No. 2

Viola

	Playing Level 5 – 6 Suggested Repertoire
Composer	Piece Title	Source
Handel	Sonata No. 3 in F, HWV 370 Op. 1 No. 12	Suzuki 6
Vivaldi	Concerto in D Minor	Suzuki 4
Telemann	Concerto in G Major	Suzuki 4
Vivaldi	Concerto in D Minor	Suzuki 4

	Playing Level 7 – 9 Suggested Repertoire
Composer	Composition Title	Source
Accolay	Concerto No. 1 trans. for vla	Schirmer’s
Vanhal	Viola Concerto in C Major	imslp.org
Carl Stamitz	Viola Sonata in Bb Major	imslp.org
Bach	Suites	Schirmer’s
Handel-Casadesus	Concerto in B Major	Suzuki 7
Casadesus	Viola Concerto in the Style of Handel	contact us

Playing Level 10 – 12 Suggested Repertoire

Concertos, Sonatas, Suites, Etudes, Variations, or Solo Pieces by all period composers: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th century, and Contemporary. Original/Arrangements/Transcriptions for viola: For example, Bach’s Suites, Carl Stamitz (Concerto in D, Op. 1), Telemann, Mozart-Fuchs, J.C.Bach-Casadesus (Concerto in c), Hoffmeister (Concerto in D), Hummel (Fantasy)

Cello

	Playing Level 5 – 6 Suggested Repertoire
Composer	Composition Title	Source
Breval	Concertino No. 1 in B-Flat Major	contact us
Vivaldi	Concerto in C Major, RV. 399	contact us
Vivaldi	Concerto in D Minor, RV. 407	contact us
Goltermann	Concerto No. 4 in G Major	Suzuki 5
Romberg	Sonatas No. 1-3 in e, G, or B-flat	Int’l music

	Playing Level 7 – 9 Suggested Repertoire
Composer	Composition Title	Source
Vivaldi	Concerto for Two Cellos	Suzuki 6
Goltermann	Concerto No. 5 in D minor, op 76	Fisher
Bach	Cello Suites (any mvt. of comparable works)	Int’l Music
Bach-Vivaldi	Concerto No. 1 in G Major	Int’l Music
Corelli-Lindner	Sonata in D Minor	Int’l Music
Bach	Gamba Sonatas	Barenreiter

Playing Level 10 – 12 Suggested Repertoire

Concertos, Sonatas, Variations, Etudes, Suites, or Solo Pieces by composers from Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary periods: J. S. Bach, Handel, Haydn, J.C. Bach, Beethoven (12 Variations), Brahms, Bruch, Dvorak, Lalo, Tchaikovsky.

Double Bass

	Playing Level 5 – 6 Suggested Repertoire
Composer	Piece Title	Source
Bach	Gavotte in G Minor	*Suzuki 4
Gabriel-Marie	La Cinquantaine	Suzuki 4
Dvorak	Humoresque	Suzuki 4
Marcello	Sonata in E Minor	Suzuki 4
Gabrielli	Canon a due	Suzuki 5

	Playing Level 7 – 9 Suggested Repertoire
Composer	Piece Title	Source
Marcello	Sonata in G Major	Suzuki 5
Capuzzi	Double Concerto Concerto in D or F Major	Suzuki 5
J. S. Bach	Cello Suites (any mvt. of comparable works)	Int’l Music
J. B. Vanhal	Double Bass Concerto in E-flat Major	contact us

Playing Level 10 – 12 Suggested Repertoire

Concertos, Sonatas, Etudes, Variations, or Solo Pieces by Baroque, Classical, Romantic, or 20th century composers

Harp

Harp	Playing Level 5 – 6	LENGTH
Suggested Techniques	Hands doubled at the octave (scale). Tonic triads and V-7 chord (arpeggio). Rolled chords; double harmonics; muffles. Divided between the hands; V-7 chord, rolled chords, hands together on the V-7 chord (all inversions); two hand trills; one hand arpeggios; descending slides in 3rds and 6ths; double glissandi 2 against 3 rhythms	5-7 min.

Harp	Playing Level 7 – 9	LENGTH
Suggested Techniques	Scales in 6th & 10th ; Hands doubled at the 6th; Tonic triads; V-7 chord, hands together, doubled at the octave in all inversions; rolled chords; one-handed trills	5-10 min.

Harp	Playing Level 10 – 12	LENGTH
Suggested Repertoire	Concertos, Sonatas, Etudes, Orchestral Excerpts, Solo Pieces, by any period composers from Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th century; Open to all new pieces using new contemporary techniques.	10 – 20 min.