Use the following guidelines when selecting your pieces:
The technical and interpretive demands of the selections should be comparable to the student's technical and musical abilities.
Selections at this level should showcase the basic right and left hand skills needed to develop pure tone and secure intonation. Commonly used keys include G, D, A and C. Pieces at this level use simple rhythmic and bowing patterns and may include 2 to 4 note slurs. More complex keys, rhythms, bowings and string crossings are expected as level progresses.
Pre-Primary Class (with no more than one year of study as of March 1 of festival year) Two folk songs or other selections between 8 and 20 measures each.
Examples: Boil the Cabbage from Fairfield Fiddle Farm book, Twinkle Variations or French Folk Song from Suzuki Book 1.
Primary 1 Class - Two pieces with contrasting moods such as found in any first year method book.
Examples: Allegro, Perpetual Motion, Andantino from Suzuki Book 1, Camptown Races from Fiddle Farm.
Primary 2 Class - Two pieces, one of which requires dynamic contrast and phrasing.
Examples: A Bach Minuet, Gavotte by Gossec from Suzuki Book 1, Yellow Rose of Texas from Fiddle Farm.
Primary 3 Class - Two pieces, one of which is by Baroque composer such as Handel or Bach.
Examples: Chorus or Bourree by Handel, Musette by Bach in Suzuki Book 2.
Primary 4 Class - Two pieces, one of which uses slurs and accidentals.
Examples: Waltz, Hunter's Chorus, Witches Dance from Suzuki Book 2.
Use the following guidelines when selecting your pieces:
The technical and interpretive demands of the selections should be comparable to the student's technical and musical abilities.
Selections at this level display more varied rhythmic patterns and bow strokes. Beginning vibrato and use of dynamics for greater musical expression is appropriate at this level. Shifting and playing in positions 1-3 with some use of 5th position (violin and viola) may be included. Use of harmonics, double-stops and chords are found as level progresses.
Elementary 1 Class- Two pieces, one of which has a minor section.
Examples: Two Grenadiers, Gavotte from "Mignon", Gavotte by Becker, and Bouree by Bach from Suzuki Books 2 & 3
Elementary 2 Class - Two Pieces, one which contains double-stops
Examples: Ragtime Annie, Orange Blossom Special, Wake Up Suzy Reel in Fiddle Farm Hungarian Dance No. 5 and William Tell from Let Us Have Music, Vol. 1 3rd movement of the Seitz Concerto in Suzuki Vol. 4, Sarabande by Bohm for violin or viola.
Elementary 3 Class - Two pieces, one of which is by a classical composer such as Mozart, Boccherini, or Haydn.
Examples: Minuet by Boccherini in Suzuki Book 2 Andante from Surprise Symphony by Haydn Minuet in A or C by Mozart, from First Solos from the Classics by Applebaum.
Elementary 4 Class - Two Pieces, one of which uses either left or right hand pizzicato.
Examples with left hand pizzicato: Puppet Show by Trott, Boy Paganini by Mollenhauer, Souvenir de Sarasate by Potstock.
Examples with right hand pizzicato: Two Guitars from Let Us Have Music, Vol. 1.
Use the following guidelines when selecting your pieces:
The technical and interpretive demands of the selections should be comparable to the student's technical and musical abilities.
Selections at this level display more varied rhythmic patterns and bow strokes (spiccato, sautille and staccato). The first five positions are used freely (violin and viola); higher notes may be included. Double-stops and chords are frequently used. Pieces require a greater range of dynamics, more advanced bow strokes, and musical expression.
Medium 1 Class- Two pieces, one of which requires position shifting and/or uses natural harmonics.
Examples: Berceuse by Schubert for 'cello, La Cinquanintaine by Gabriel-Marie for violin or 'cello, Allegro Spiritoso by Senaille for violin or viola.
Medium 2 Class - Two pieces, one of which requires arpeggios or scale passages into the higher positions.
Examples: Adoration by Borowski for violin or viola, Danse Rustique by Squire for 'cello, Spinning Wheel by Rubenstein for viola' .
Medium 3 Class - Two pieces, one of which is by a romantic composer such as Dvorak, Brahms, or Schubert.
Examples: Adagio on Celtic Melodies by Bruch for ‘cello and piano, Dvorak Sonatina movement, op. 100 for violin, Romance Joubilee by Liszt for Viola, Schubert Sonatina movement, op. 137 for violin, Vocalise by Rachmanioff, arr. for all strings
Use the following guidelines when selecting your pieces:
The technical and interpretive demands of the selections should be comparable to the student's technical and musical abilities.
Selections at this level require a higher level of artistry and technical skill, including playing in higher positions, sustained tone, advanced bow strokes and rhythms.
Difficult 1 Class- Two pieces one of which is a sonata movement.
Examples: Beethoven "Spring" Sonata for violin, Brahms Sonata for viola or cello, Locatelli Sonata in g minor arr. viola by Dokter, Schubert "Arpeggione" Sonata arr. for viola or contrabass.
Difficult 2 Class - Two pieces one of which includes fingered harmonics and/or chords.
Examples: Bach Suite movement for viola, ‘cello or contrabass using triple stops, Czardas by Monti for violin, Romanian Dance #3 by Bartok for violin
Use the following guidelines when selecting your pieces:
The technical and interpretive demands of the selections should be comparable to the student's technical and musical abilities.
Selections at this level may engage the entire fingerboard, all basic and advanced bow strokes and all basic and complex rhythm patterns. Student should be able to demonstrate an understanding of how to use these musical elements for greater expression and musicality.
An Entrant may repeat the highest level indefinitely.
Advanced 1 Class - Two pieces one of which is by a 20th century composer such as Gershwin, Copland, Bloch, or Kabalevsky.
Examples: Hoedown by Copland for violin, Kabalevsky Concerto movement for violin or cello, Koussevitzky Chanson Triste or Concerto for contrabass, Suite Heraique by Bloch for viola or contrabass
Advanced 2 Class - Two pieces which require advanced technical and musical skills suitable for college auditions.
Examples: Beethoven Romance, op. 50 for contrabass, pub. International, Elegy by Faure for viola, ‘cello or contrabass, Hungarian Dance No. 2 by Brahms for Violin (Gingold, Solos for Violin), Kol Nidrei by Bruch for ‘cello, viola, violin or contrabass, Romance by Bruch for viola
*Duets to Quartets* the same music may be used for string ensembles, such as having a 'cello group divided into harmony on duet music.
Each student pays an entry fee up through quartets and each student receives a certificate and Gold Cup points. String Ensembles pay one entry fee. If a student plays in more than one ensemble then only the highest category will count towards Gold Cup points each year for that student.
Primary 1 Class- Two short pieces such as found in Volume 1 ensemble collections.
Examples: Applebaum Duets for Strings, Clarke Introduction to String Quartets, Suzuki Duets.
Primary 2 Class- Two longer pieces which allow the melody to travel between the instruments.
Examples: Early Classics for Beginning String Quartet, arr. Herfurth, Pub. Boston Music Co., Kummer Duets for “Cello
Elementary 1 Class- Two pieces, one of which requires contrasting bowing styles.
Examples: Mozart Minuets
Elementary 2 Class- Two pieces, one of which is by an American composer or an arrangement of a spiritual.
Examples: Rodgers & Hammerstein Quartets (String Colors)
Medium 1 Class- Two pieces, one of which is suitable for performance in a religious service.
Examples: How Great Thou Art and other Beebe arrangements, Use choir or hymnal music and arrange for instruments such, As violin and ‘cello play the melody and bass of piano part, Violins use the soprano and alto lines. A string quartet plays all four vocal lines.
Medium 2 Class- Two pieces, one of which is in canon form
Examples: Telemann Canonic Sonatas or Pachelbel Canon
Difficult 1 Class- wo pieces, one of which explores harmonic variety.
Examples: Works by Bartok or Shostakovitch.
Difficult 2 Class- Two pieces, one of which is in theme and variation form.
Examples: Dancla Variations
Difficult 2 Class- Two pieces, one of which is by Mozart, Beethoven, or Brahms.