Symphony Orchestra | Band | Choir of Los Angeles and Beyond
Strings
How can I determine my playing level?
LAYP Playing Level
CM Level
RCMGrade
ABRSMGrade
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
Note: Play one fast movement only *Suzuki Violin School Volume 4 ; **Bosworth & Co
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
Note: Play one fast movement only(with cadenza if applicable) *Breitkopf & Härtel; **Schirmer’s Library of Musical Classics; ***International Music Company (www.internationalmusicco.com)
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
Note: Play one fast movement only(with cadenza if applicable) You can play an other solo piece which your private teacher recommends
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
Note: Play one fast movement only
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
Note: Play one fast movement only(with cadenza if applicable)
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)
Note: Play one fast movement only(with cadenza if applicable)
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
Note: Play one fast movement only
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
Note: Play one fast movement only
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.
Note: Play one fast movement only(with cadenza if applicable)
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
*Suzuki Bass School Volume 4
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
Note: Play one fast movement only(with cadenza if applicable)
Playing Level 10 – 12 Suggested Repertoire
Concertos, Sonatas, Etudes, Variations, or Solo Pieces by Baroque, Classical, Romantic, or 20th century composers
Note: Play one fast movement only(with cadenza if applicable)
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.
Note: Play one movement/one solo piece only(with cadenza if applicable). If the movement/solo piece is too short, add one more solo piece/movement. You can play any solo piece which your private teacher recommends. If the solo piece you perform does not include the techniques you would like to demonstrate, you can display them through playing a scale, a short etude (8-16 measures) or an orchestral excerpt.