Last updated on
ABRSM Violin Grade 7 Syllabus 2026: Repertoire and Scales
The 2026 ABRSM Violin Grade 7 syllabus: repertoire list and scale requirements, with practical notes for choosing a confident upper-grade programme.
ABRSM Violin Grade 7 feels genuinely serious. The repertoire includes sonata movements, concerto writing, solo Telemann, Romantic character pieces, and dance forms that ask the violinist to speak with authority.
The 2026 guide below follows the official ABRSM Violin Practical Grades syllabus from 2024, which remains the current syllabus for this repertoire. ABRSM also requires the Grade 5 theory/practical musicianship/jazz prerequisite, or an accepted alternative, for entry.
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 7 difficulty summary
Grade 7 asks the violinist to sound authoritative. Style, tone, stamina, and musical intention all need to hold together under pressure.
Practical Grade 7 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 7 programme
Choose pieces that let the student sound authoritative rather than merely diligent. Some students sound natural in Classical proportion and Baroque articulation; others communicate more strongly through Romantic line or dance character. The programme should sound as though the player believes in the language of each piece.
Grade 7 repertoire: List A
| No. | Composer | Piece | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | J. Gibbs | Allemande, 2nd movt from Sonata in D minor, Op. 1 No. 1 | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 7 (ABRSM) |
| 2 | Albinoni | Allegro assai, 2nd movt from Sonata in B-flat, Op. 6 No. 12; b. 6 and b. 44 lower two notes in chord optional | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 7 (ABRSM) |
| 3 | Telemann | Vivace, 2nd movt from Fantasia No. 9 in B minor, TWV 40:22 SOLO | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 7 (ABRSM) |
| 4 | Beethoven | Rondo: Allegro, 3rd movt from Sonata in D, Op. 12 No. 1 | Beethoven: Sonata in D, Op. 12 No. 1 (Schott) or Beethoven: Sonatas for Piano and Violin, Vol. 1 (Henle) |
| 5 | Haydn | Allegro, 3rd movt from Concerto in G, Hob. VIIa:4 | Haydn: Violin Concerto in G, Hob. VIIa:4 (Henle) or Haydn: Concerto No. 2 in G, Hob. VIIa:4 (Schott) |
| 6 | Schubert | Allegro moderato, 1st movt from Sonata in A minor, Op. 137 No. 2, D. 385 | Schubert: Three Sonatinas, Op. 137 (Peters) or Schubert: Sonatas for Piano and Violin (Wiener Urtext) |
| 7 | Tartini | Adagio and Allegro, 3rd and 4th movts from Sinfonia in C | Italian Violin Music of the Baroque Period, Vol. 1 (Henle) |
| 8 | A. Veracini | Largo and Vivace, 1st and 2nd movts from Sonata in B-flat, Op. 3 No. 6 | Italian Violin Music of the Baroque Period, Vol. 1 (Henle) |
| 9 | Telemann | Grave and Allegro, 3rd and 2nd movts from Fantasia No. 1 in B-flat, TWV 40:14 SOLO | Telemann: 12 Fantasias for Violin Solo (Barenreiter or Wiener Urtext) |
| 10 | Vivaldi | Sonata in G, Op. 2 No. 8, RV 23 complete | Pp. 13-14 from Violinissimo: La Follia (Schott) |
| 11 | Chevalier de Saint-Georges | Allegro, 1st movt from Sonata No. 3 in G Minor, Op. 1b | Chevalier de Saint-Georges: Three Sonatas for Violin, Op. 1(b) (Artaria) |
| 12 | M. Clements | Avalanche SOLO | Bluegrass Fiddle Styles (Music Sales) |
| 13 | Mozart | Allegro, 1st movt from Sonata in E minor, K. 304 (300c) | Mozart: Sonatas for Piano and Violin, Vol. 1 (Henle) or Mozart: Sonatas for Violin & Piano: The Mannheim, Paris, Salzburg Sonatas (Barenreiter) |
Grade 7 repertoire: List B
| No. | Composer | Piece | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mel Bonis | Allegretto non troppo, Op. 84 | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 7 (ABRSM) |
| 2 | Sarasate | Playera, No. 1 from Spanische Tanze, Op. 23 | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 7 (ABRSM) |
| 3 | Barns | Morceau, from Two Compositions | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 7 (ABRSM) |
| 4 | A. Beach | Lento espressivo, Op. 125 | A. Beach: Lento espressivo, Op. 125 (Hildegard) |
| 5 | Chaminade | Andantino, No. 1 from Trois morceaux, Op. 31 | Chaminade: Trois morceaux, Op. 31 (Masters Music Publications) |
| 6 | N. Paganini | Cantabile | N. Paganini: Cantabile (Ricordi or Universal UE7014) or Sheila M. Nelson’s Romantic Violinist (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 7 | John Rutter | Lament for the Holy City | John Rutter: Lament for the Holy City (OUP) |
| 8 | Sibelius | Romance, No. 2 from Four Pieces, Op. 78 | Sibelius: Romance, Op. 78 No. 2 (Hansen) |
| 9 | H. Wieniawski | Romance: Andante non troppo, 2nd movt from Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22; octaves in bb. 56-58 optional | H. Wieniawski: Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22 (PWM or Peters) |
| 10 | S. Coleridge-Taylor | Cavatina, No. 2 from Suite de Pieces, Op. 3 | S. Coleridge-Taylor: Suite de Pieces (Schott) |
| 11 | C. Dancla | Air Varie on a Theme by Donizetti, Op. 89 No. 4 complete | Sheila M. Nelson’s Romantic Violinist (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 12 | Glazunov | Meditation, Op. 32 | Glazunov: Meditation (Carl Fischer) or Glazunov: Meditation for Violin (Belaieff) |
| 13 | Smetana | Moderato, No. 1 from Aus der Heimat, arr. Sitt | Smetana: Aus Der Heimat (Peters) |
Grade 7 repertoire: List C
| No. | Composer | Piece | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arensky | Serenade, No. 2 from Four Pieces, Op. 30 | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 7 (ABRSM) |
| 2 | F. Price | Elfentanz | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 7 (ABRSM) |
| 3 | Hubay | Bolero, No. 3 from Cinq morceaux caracteristiques, Op. 51 | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 7 (ABRSM) |
| 4 | Gardel | Por una cabeza, arr. Birtel | Gardel: Por una cabeza, for Violin (Dohr) |
| 5 | Glazunov | Serenade espagnole, arr. Kreisler | Glazunov: Serenade espagnole, for Violin (Schott) |
| 6 | Grainger | Molly on the Shore, arr. Kreisler | Grainger: Molly on the Shore for Violin (Schott) |
| 7 | Stephen Hough | The Mad Tea Party | Stephen Hough: The Mad Tea Party (Weinberger) |
| 8 | Joplin | The Chrysanthemum, arr. Forster | Joplin: Six Ragtimes for Violin, Vol. 1 (Kunzelmann) |
| 9 | Lutoslawski | Recitative e arioso | Lutoslawski: Recitativo e arioso (Chester) |
| 10 | Brahms | Hungarian Dance No. 7 | Sheila M. Nelson’s Romantic Violinist (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 11 | Moszkowski | Con moto, No. 3 from Spanische Tanze, Op. 12, arr. Scharwenka | Moszkowski: Spanish Dances (Peters) |
| 12 | Claire Scholes | Knees Up Mambo | Violin Music By Women: A Graded Anthology, Vol. 3 Intermediate 2 (Sleepy Puppy Press) |
| 13 | J. S. Skinner | Back to the Hills, arr. Hardie | Alastair Hardie’s Compliments to The King (Hardie Press) |
Grade 7 scales and arpeggios
All scales and arpeggios are played from memory.
| Keys | Range | Bowing and rhythm |
|---|---|---|
| Scales | ||
| F and F-sharp majors and minors, 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. |
| A, B, and D majors and minors, 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 and F-sharp majors and minors | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 6 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| A, B, 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 G and B-flat | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 4 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| In the keys of D and E | 3 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 4 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Diminished sevenths | ||
| Starting on D and F | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 4 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Starting on A and B | 3 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 4 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Chromatic scales | ||
| Starting on D and F | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 12 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Starting on A and B | 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 G and B-flat majors; in octaves, in D major | 1 octave | See page 16 of the official syllabus. |
Practical recommendation
At Grade 7, the best programme usually highlights the student’s strongest musical language while still showing contrast. Authority matters more than collecting the most difficult-looking titles.
For the broader level-by-level view, return to the ABRSM violin repertoire by grade guide.
