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ABRSM Viola Grade 6 Syllabus 2026: Repertoire, Pieces and Scales
The 2026 ABRSM Viola Grade 6 syllabus: repertoire list and scale requirements, with cost-effective ABRSM collection picks and practical exam notes.
ABRSM Viola Grade 6 is a more exposed level: longer musical spans, firmer shifting, and stronger stylistic control all matter. ABRSM also requires the Grade 5 theory/practical musicianship/jazz prerequisite, or an accepted alternative, for entry.
The 2026 guide below follows the official ABRSM Viola Practical Grades syllabus from 2024, which remains the current syllabus for this repertoire.
For the broader exam pathway, read this with ABRSM viola repertoire by grade and ABRSM viola exams in Hong Kong: online or live. For scales, use the companion guide to ABRSM viola scales: how to practise them musically.
Other grades: Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Grade 5 | Grade 6 | Grade 7 | Grade 8
Cost-saving recommendation: before buying several separate song books, check whether your chosen pieces are available in More Time Pieces for Viola, Vol. 2 (ABRSM). This ABRSM collection is often one of the most cost-effective options where it appears. I have marked those rows below as cost-effective ABRSM collection picks.
Grade 6 difficulty summary
Grade 6 is the first upper-grade step. Students need secure shifting, longer concentration, more mature pacing, and the ability to keep style and intonation stable when the music becomes more exposed.
Because Grade 6 also introduces prerequisite paperwork, Hong Kong families should pair repertoire planning with the ABRSM exam procedure guide.
Most cost-effective Grade 6 picks
These pieces appear in More Time Pieces for Viola, Vol. 2 (ABRSM).
| No. | Composer | Piece | Book |
|---|---|---|---|
| B2 | Brahms | Andante, from String Sextet No. 1, Op. 18, arr. Lamb & Meredith | More Time Pieces for Viola, Vol. 2 (ABRSM) |
| C10 | Weill & Brecht | Mack the Knife, from The Threepenny Opera, arr. Reiter | More Time Pieces for Viola, Vol. 2 (ABRSM) |
Grade 6 repertoire: List A
| No. | Composer | Piece | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | J. S. Bach | Menuet 1 and Menuet 2, from Cello Suite No. 1 in G, BWV 1007, trans. Rowland-Jones or Forbes | J. S. Bach: Six Cello Suites (Peters or Chester) |
| 2 | Caix d’Hervelois | La marche du Czar, arr. Classens | L’Alto classique, Vol. C (Combre) |
| 3 | Leclair | Tambourin, arr. Classens | L’Alto classique, Vol. C (Combre) |
| 4 | Handel | Andante larghetto and Allegro, 1st and 2nd movts from Sonata in G minor, Op. 1 No. 6, trans. Pilkington | Handel: Sonata in G minor, Op. 1 No. 6 (Stainer & Bell) |
| 5 | Robin Ireland | Allegro, from Étude No. 2, starting at b. 39 | Robin Ireland: Concert Etudes for Viola (Clifton Edition) |
| 6 | Kalliwoda | Notturno No. 2, from Six Nocturnes, Op. 186 | Kalliwoda: Six Nocturnes for Viola, Op. 186 (Peters) or Concert Pieces for Viola (Bärenreiter) |
| 7 | Senaillé | Allegro, 2nd movt from Sonata in G minor, Op. 5 No. 9, arr. Morgan | Senaillé: Sonata in G minor, Op. 5 No. 9 (Stainer & Bell) |
| 8 | Telemann | Allegro, 2nd movt from Sonata in A minor, TWV 41:a6 | Telemann: Sonata in A minor for Viola (Schott) or Telemann: Two Sonatas for Viola da Gamba or Viola (Amadeus) |
| 9 | Telemann | Allegro, 2nd movt from Concerto in G, TWV 51:G9 | Telemann: Concerto in G, TWV 51:G9 (Bärenreiter) |
| 10 | Vivaldi | Allegro, 1st movt from Concerto in G minor, RV 417, arr. Bársony & Nagy | Vivaldi: Concerto in G minor, RV 417 (EMB Zeneműkiadó) |
Grade 6 repertoire: List B
| No. | Composer | Piece | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albéniz | Tango, No. 2 from España, Op. 165, arr. Classens | L’Alto classique, Vol. C (Combre) |
| 2 | Brahms | Andante, from String Sextet No. 1, Op. 18, arr. Lamb & Meredith | More Time Pieces for Viola, Vol. 2 (ABRSM) - cost-effective ABRSM collection pick |
| 3 | R. Clarke | Lullaby | R. Clarke: Shorter Pieces for Viola (OUP) |
| 4 | Fauré | Berceuse, Op. 16, arr. Sassmannshaus | Concert Pieces for Viola (Bärenreiter) |
| 5 | Viotti | Andante, arr. Ritter | Concert Pieces for Viola (Bärenreiter) |
| 6 | Joachim | No. 1, from Hebräische Melodien, Op. 9 | Joachim: Hebrew Melodies for Viola, Op. 9 (IMC or Breitkopf & Härtel) |
| 7 | Mendelssohn | Song without Words, Op. 38 No. 2, arr. Forbes | Chester Music for Viola (Chester) |
| 8 | Schubert | Ave Maria, Op. 52 No. 6, arr. Birtel | Classical Highlights for Viola (Schott) |
| 9 | Schumann | No. 4, from Märchenbilder, Op. 113 | Schumann: Märchenbilder for Viola, Op. 113 (Peters or Henle) |
| 10 | Schweikert | Romanze, trans. La-Deur | Schweikert: Romanze for Cello (Violin/Viola) (Furore Verlag) |
| 11 | C. Schumann | Allegretto, No. 2 from Three Romances, Op. 22, arr. B. & S. Kalinowsky | C. Schumann: Three Romances for Viola, Op. 22 (Robert Lienau) |
Grade 6 repertoire: List C
| No. | Composer | Piece | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A. Beach | Berceuse, No. 2 from Three Pieces, Op. 40, trans. Grant | A. Beach: Three Pieces for Viola, Op. 40 (Spartan Press) |
| 2 | Beethoven | Rondo, WoO 41, arr. Forbes | Beethoven: Rondo for Viola, WoO 41 (Schott) |
| 3 | R. R. Bennett | The Czar of Muscovy, No. 6 from Six Country Dances, arr. Jacobs | R. R. Bennett: Six Country Dances for Viola (Novello) |
| 4 | C. Dancla | Fantasia - La Cenerentola, Op. 86 No. 7, trans. Barber | Solos for Young Violists, Vol. 2 (Alfred) |
| 5 | Patsy Gritton | Presto for Frankie, No. 2 from Character Pieces, Book 3 | Patsy Gritton: Character Pieces, Book 3 (SJ Music) |
| 6 | A. H. Hill | Novelette; with repeat | A. H. Hill: Two Pieces for Viola (Stainer & Bell) |
| 7 | B. Hummel | Presto, 3rd movt from Kleine Suite, Op. 19c | B. Hummel: Kleine Suite for Viola, Op. 19c (Simrock) |
| 8 | Pascal Proust | Avril | Pascal Proust: Avril (De Haske) |
| 9 | Vaughan Williams | Carol, No. 2 from Suite for Viola, Group 1 | Vaughan Williams: Suite for Viola (OUP) |
| 10 | Weill & Brecht | Mack the Knife, from The Threepenny Opera, arr. Reiter | More Time Pieces for Viola, Vol. 2 (ABRSM) - cost-effective ABRSM collection pick |
| 11 | Elaine Fine | Windy Nights, No. 5 from A Violist’s Garden of Verses | Elaine Fine: A Violist’s Garden of Verses (IMSLP) |
| 12 | Joplin | The Easy Winners, arr. Birtel | Joplin: Three Ragtimes for Viola (Schott) |
| 13 | Trott | In a Spanish Garden, arr. Cooper | Viola Music By Women - A Graded Anthology, Vol. 3 (Sleepy Puppy Press) |
Grade 6 scales and arpeggios
All scales and arpeggios are played from memory.
| Keys | Range | Bowing and rhythm |
|---|---|---|
| Scales | ||
| D-flat/C-sharp, F-sharp, and A-flat/G-sharp majors and minors, harmonic and melodic | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 7 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes or long tonic at the candidate's choice. |
| C and D majors and minors, harmonic and melodic | 3 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 7 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes or long tonic at the candidate's choice. |
| Arpeggios | ||
| D-flat/C-sharp, F-sharp, and A-flat/G-sharp majors and minors | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 6 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| C and D majors and minors | 3 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 3 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Dominant sevenths | ||
| In the keys of F, F-sharp, and G | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 4 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Diminished sevenths | ||
| Starting on C, C-sharp, and D | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 4 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Chromatic scales | ||
| Starting on C, C-sharp, and D | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 6 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Double-stop scale in broken steps | ||
| In sixths, in E-flat major | 1 octave | See page 16 of the official syllabus. |
For the broader level-by-level view, return to the ABRSM viola repertoire by grade guide.
