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ABRSM Viola Grade 7 Syllabus 2026: Repertoire, Pieces and Scales
The 2026 ABRSM Viola Grade 7 syllabus: repertoire list and scale requirements, with cost-effective ABRSM collection picks and practical exam notes.
ABRSM Viola Grade 7 asks for a more authoritative player: stronger rhetoric, more mature pacing, and a clearer sense of style across longer musical spans. 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 7 difficulty summary
Grade 7 asks for musical authority. Students need stronger rhetoric, controlled projection, mature phrasing, and enough technical command for the programme to sound intentional rather than merely difficult.
At this level, the exam should also connect to longer musical planning. Students considering auditions may want the music school and conservatory audition checklist.
Most cost-effective Grade 7 picks
This piece appears in More Time Pieces for Viola, Vol. 2 (ABRSM).
| No. | Composer | Piece | Book |
|---|---|---|---|
| B10 | Tchaikovsky | Passionate Confession, arr. Bullard | More Time Pieces for Viola, Vol. 2 (ABRSM) |
Grade 7 repertoire: List A
| No. | Composer | Piece | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | attrib. J. C. Bach | Allegro molto ma maestoso, 1st movt from Cello Concerto in C minor, arr. Casadesus | J. C. Bach: Concerto in C minor for Viola (Salabert) |
| 2 | J. S. Bach | Gigue, from Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008, trans. Rowland-Jones or Forbes | J. S. Bach: Six Cello Suites (Peters or Chester) |
| 3 | Bonporti | Fantasia and Bizzarria, 3rd and 4th movts from Invenzione in B-flat, Op. 10 No. 3, arr. Martos & Nagy | Bonporti: Two Inventions for Viola (Kunzelmann) |
| 4 | Caix d’Hervelois | La Chambor, Allemande, trans. Marchet | Caix d’Hervelois: La Chambor (Allemande) (IMC) |
| 5 | Grazioli | 1st movt from Sonata in F, arr. Marchet or Tertis | Grazioli: Sonata in F (Stainer & Bell) or A Second Lionel Tertis Album (Weinberger) |
| 6 | Haydn | Divertimento, 3rd movt, trans. Piatigorsky | Solos for Young Violists, Vol. 3 (Alfred) |
| 7 | Robin Ireland | Classical, from Étude No. 3 | Robin Ireland: Concert Etudes for Viola (Clifton Edition) |
| 8 | Telemann | Overture, 1st movt from Suite in D, arr. Bergmann & Forbes | Telemann: Suite in D (Schott) |
| 9 | Vivaldi | Largo and Allegro, 1st and 2nd movts from Sonata No. 4 in B-flat, RV 45, trans. Primrose | Vivaldi: Six Sonatas for Viola (IMC) |
| 10 | Weber | Theme and Variations 1, 2 and 3, from Variationen über das österreichische Volkslied ‘A Schüsserl und a Reind’rl’ | Weber: Variationen für Viola (Peters) |
Grade 7 repertoire: List B
| No. | Composer | Piece | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bloch | Processional, from Meditation and Processional | Bloch: Meditation and Processional (G. Schirmer) |
| 2 | Bridge | Pensiero | Bridge: Two Pieces for Viola (Stainer & Bell) |
| 3 | Coates | Ballad, Op. 13 | A Second Lionel Tertis Album (Weinberger) |
| 4 | Barbara Heller | Sonnenhut, No. 10 from Klangblumen | Barbara Heller: Klangblumen (Schott) |
| 5 | Hensel | Adagio, arr. B. & S. Kalinowsky | Hensel: Adagio for Viola (Furore Verlag) |
| 6 | A. H. Hill | Poem | A. H. Hill: Two Pieces for Viola (Stainer & Bell) |
| 7 | Rachmaninoff | Vocalise, No. 14 from 14 Songs, Op. 34, trans. Silverthorne | Rachmaninoff: Vocalise for Viola, Op. 34 No. 14 (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 8 | Schubert | Adagio, 2nd movt from Arpeggione Sonata in A minor, D. 821, arr. von Wrochem or Doktor | Schubert: Sonata in A minor ‘Arpeggione’ for Viola, D. 821 (Bärenreiter) or Solos for the Viola Player (G. Schirmer) |
| 9 | Schumann | No. 1, from Märchenbilder, Op. 113 | Schumann: Märchenbilder for Viola, Op. 113 (Peters or Henle) |
| 10 | Tchaikovsky | Passionate Confession, arr. Bullard | More Time Pieces for Viola, Vol. 2 (ABRSM) - cost-effective ABRSM collection pick |
| 11 | Le Beau | Träumerei, No. 2 from Drei Stücke, Op. 26 | Le Beau: Drei Stücke, Op. 26 (Furore Verlag) |
| 12 | Perkinson | Lament | Perkinson: Lament for Viola (LKM) |
| 13 | Swain | Song at Evening | Viola Music By Women - A Graded Anthology, Vol. 3 (Sleepy Puppy Press) |
Grade 7 repertoire: List C
| No. | Composer | Piece | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bartók | An Evening in the Village, trans. Váczi | Bartók: An Evening in the Village & Slovak Peasant’s Dance (EMB Zeneműkiadó) |
| 2 | Colin Cowles | Blues Variations | Colin Cowles: Blues Variations for Viola (Clifton Edition) |
| 3 | Dimitrescu | Village Dance, arr. Szeredi-Saupe | Music for Viola III (EMB Zeneműkiadó) |
| 4 | Genzmer | Molto vivace e sempre marcato, 3rd movt from Sonatine for Viola | Genzmer: Sonatine for Viola (Peters) |
| 5 | Amanda Harberg | Lullaby, No. 1 from For Sydney | Amanda Harberg: For Sydney (Presser) |
| 6 | Hindemith | Meditation | Hindemith: Meditation for Viola (Schott) |
| 7 | Husa | Elegie, 2nd movt from Suite, Op. 5 | Husa: Suite for Viola, Op. 5 (AMP) |
| 8 | Bryan Kelly | Allegro, 1st movt from Sonatina for Viola | Bryan Kelly: Sonatina for Viola (Clifton Edition) |
| 9 | Kiel | No. 3, from Drei Romanzen, Op. 69 | Kiel: Three Romances, Op. 69 (Kunzelmann or Musica Rara) |
| 10 | Vaughan Williams | Prelude, No. 1 from Suite for Viola, Group 1 | Vaughan Williams: Suite for Viola (OUP) |
| 11 | Elaine Fine | I am also fond of lonely islands | Elaine Fine: I am also fond of lonely islands (IMSLP) |
Grade 7 scales and arpeggios
All scales and arpeggios are played from memory.
| Keys | Range | Bowing and rhythm |
|---|---|---|
| Scales | ||
| F, G, and B-flat 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. |
| D and E-flat 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 | ||
| F, G, and B-flat majors and minors | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 6 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| D and E-flat 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 A-flat, B-flat, and C | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 4 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| In the key of G | 3 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 4 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Diminished sevenths | ||
| Starting on E-flat, F, and G | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 4 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Starting on D | 3 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 4 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Chromatic scales | ||
| Starting on E-flat, F, and G | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 12 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Starting on D | 3 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 12 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Double-stop scales in broken steps | ||
| In sixths, in C and E-flat majors | 1 octave | See page 16 of the official syllabus. |
| In octaves, in G 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.
