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ABRSM Violin Grade 3 Syllabus 2026: Repertoire and Scales
The 2026 ABRSM Violin Grade 3 syllabus: repertoire list and scale requirements, with practical notes for choosing a balanced exam programme.
ABRSM Violin Grade 3 is where the repertoire begins to feel less like a set of beginner pieces and more like an introduction to style. The student needs cleaner articulation, more confident phrase endings, and enough control for the bow and left hand to work together musically.
The 2026 guide below follows the official ABRSM Violin Practical Grades syllabus from 2024, which remains the current syllabus for this repertoire.
For the broader level-by-level view, read this with ABRSM violin repertoire by grade. For the bigger teaching question behind exam preparation, see what ABRSM exams can and cannot teach.
Other grades: Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Grade 5 | Grade 6 | Grade 7 | Grade 8
Grade 3 difficulty summary
Grade 3 begins to test style more seriously. The student needs cleaner articulation, a steadier left hand, and a more deliberate sense of phrase direction.
Practical Grade 3 picks
Before buying extra books, check whether the shortlisted pieces are already in the student’s current method books, school library copies, or ABRSM exam-piece collections. The most practical choice is the one the student can prepare musically and consistently.
How to choose a Grade 3 programme
Choose repertoire that helps the student sound composed. A clean Baroque or Classical piece, a lyrical List B choice, and a flexible character piece can make a convincing set. If the bow becomes tense whenever the music has energy, avoid building the whole programme around fast articulation.
Grade 3 repertoire: List A
| No. | Composer | Piece | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trad. American | Blackberry Blossom, arr. Huws Jones | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 3 (ABRSM) |
| 2 | Telemann | Loure, from Suite in G, TWV 11:21 | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 3 (ABRSM) |
| 3 | Baklanova | Reigen, No. 2 from Acht Leichte Stucke | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 3 (ABRSM) |
| 4 | Boyce | Gavotte, 3rd movt from Symphony No. 4 in F, Op. 2 No. 4, arr. Wade | The Young Symphonist, Vol. 2 (Clifton Edition) |
| 5 | Holmstad | Lett pa fot (Light-footed), with 1st repeat SOLO | Holmstad: Gamle danser blir som nye (Norsk Musikforlag) |
| 6 | Kling | March, arr. Gazda & Clark DUET | Compatible Duets for Strings, Vol. 2: Violin (Carl Fischer) |
| 7 | F. Kuchler | Allegro assai, 3rd movt from Concertino in D, Op. 15 | F. Kuchler: Concertino in D, Op. 15 (Bosworth) |
| 8 | Mascitti | Gavotta, 4th movt from Sonata in E minor, Op. 2 No. 10 | Baroque Violin Pieces, Book 1 (ABRSM) |
| 9 | Mozart | Duo, from 12 Duos, K. 487, arr. de Keyser & Waterman DUET | The Young Violinist’s Repertoire, Book 3 (Faber) |
| 10 | Telemann | Bourree, from Wedding Divertissement | The Best of Grade 3 Violin (Faber) |
| 11 | Barthelemon | Rondo alla Hornpipe, from Keyboard Sonata, Op. 3, arr. K. & D. Blackwell | Violin Mix 3 (ABRSM) |
| 12 | Chaminade | Gavotte, arr. Harris & O’Leary DUET/PIANO | Flexi Violin, Book 2 (Faber) |
| 13 | Seydel | Minuet | Violin Music By Women, A Graded Anthology, Vol. 1 Beginning (Sleepy Puppy Press) |
Grade 3 repertoire: List B
| No. | Composer | Piece | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Humperdinck | Sleep Song, from Hansel und Gretel, arr. Robjohns | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 3 (ABRSM) |
| 2 | Jay Ungar | Ashokan Farewell, arr. Blackwell | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 3 (ABRSM) |
| 3 | C. Dancla | Redowa de Wallerstein, No. 3 from Le melodiste, Op. 86 | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 3 (ABRSM) |
| 4 | Bizet | Habanera, from Carmen, arr. K. & D. Blackwell DUET/PIANO | Fiddle Time Sprinters (OUP) |
| 5 | G. Concone | Andante pastorale, arr. Gazda & Clark DUET | Compatible Duets for Strings, Vol. 2: Violin (Carl Fischer) |
| 6 | Gebirtig | Moishele Mayn Fraynd, arr. Rowlands | Klezmer Fiddle Tunes (Schott) |
| 7 | Barbara Heller | Lalai - A Lullaby to Awaken You?, arr. Mohrs | My First Concert for Violin (Schott) |
| 8 | Elton John & Tim Rice | Can You Feel the Love Tonight?, from The Lion King, arr. Galliford & Neuburg | Top Hits from TV, Movies & Musicals for Violin (Alfred) |
| 9 | Papini | Theme and Variations 1 and 2, from Theme and Variations, trans. Applebaum | Solos for Young Violinists, Vol. 1 (Alfred) |
| 10 | Friedrich Seitz | Adagio, 2nd movt from Student Concerto No. 2 in G, Op. 13 | Friedrich Seitz: Student Concerto No. 2 in G, Op. 13 (Barenreiter) |
| 11 | African-American Spiritual | Wade in the Water, arr. K. & D. Blackwell DUET/PIANO | Fiddle Time Sprinters (OUP) |
| 12 | Jennifer Bowman | Lost, from Modern Mosaics | Jennifer Bowman: Modern Mosaics for Violin (80 Days Publishing) |
| 13 | Trad. Irish | Last Rose of Summer DUET/PIANO | Flexi Violin, Book 2 (Faber) |
Grade 3 repertoire: List C
| No. | Composer | Piece | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G. & I. Gershwin, D. & D. Heyward | I got plenty o’ nuttin’, from Porgy and Bess, arr. Blackwell | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 3 (ABRSM) |
| 2 | N. Mackay | Rebecca - A Rumba, No. 4 from Four Modern Dance Tunes | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 3 (ABRSM) |
| 3 | James B. Wilson | A Shanty for Ludwig | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 3 (ABRSM) |
| 4 | Bartok | Pillow Dance, No. 14 from 44 Duos DUET | Bartok: 44 Duos for Two Violins, Vol. 1 (Universal) |
| 5 | L. Bernstein | I feel pretty, from West Side Story, arr. Wastall, solo part | Session Time for Strings: Violin (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 6 | Katherine & Hugh Colledge | Stiffkey Blues, No. 21 from Shooting Stars | Katherine & Hugh Colledge: Shooting Stars for Violin (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 7 | C. Dancla | Chasse du jeune Henry, No. 17 from 36 etudes melodiques et faciles, Op. 84 SOLO | C. Dancla: 36 Melodious and Easy Studies, Op. 84 (Schott) |
| 8 | Grechaninov | The Joker, No. 3 from Early Morning, Op. 126a | The Young Violinist’s Repertoire, Book 3 (Faber) |
| 9 | Thomas Gregory | Vamoose | Vamoosh Violin, Book 2 (Vamoosh) |
| 10 | S. Nelson | Toad in the Hole, without improvisation DUET/PIANO | Technitunes for Violin (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 11 | Ewa Iwan | Flea, from Musical Journeys, Book 1 | Ewa Iwan: Musical Journeys for Violin, Book 1 (PWM) |
| 12 | Trad. Ukrainian | Halya carries water, arr. Stephen & Rowlands DUET/PIANO | Violin Mix 3 (ABRSM) |
| 13 | Roland Orzabal | Mad World (arr.) | Pop Performance Pieces for Violin (Chester) |
Grade 3 scales and arpeggios
All scales and arpeggios are played from memory.
| Keys | Range | Bowing and rhythm |
|---|---|---|
| Scales | ||
| A-flat, E-flat, and E majors | 1 octave | Separate bows or slurred, 2 quavers to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes or long tonic at the candidate's choice. |
| B-flat and D majors; A and D minors, harmonic or melodic at the candidate's choice | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 2 quavers to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes or long tonic at the candidate's choice. |
| Arpeggios | ||
| A-flat, E-flat, and E majors | 1 octave | Separate bows or slurred, 3 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| B-flat and D majors; A and D minors | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 3 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Chromatic scale | ||
| Starting on open D string | 1 octave | Separate bows, even notes. |
Practical recommendation
Choose repertoire that helps the student sound composed. If string crossings, bow speed, or phrase endings are still unstable, a cleaner stylistic choice may show more understanding than a showier piece that never quite settles.
For the broader level-by-level view, return to the ABRSM violin repertoire by grade guide.
