Last updated on
ABRSM Violin Grade 8 Syllabus 2026: Repertoire and Scales
The 2026 ABRSM Violin Grade 8 syllabus: repertoire list and scale requirements, with practical notes for choosing a mature exam programme.
ABRSM Violin Grade 8 asks for independence, proportion, stamina, and a convincing artistic point of view. The programme should show architecture, breadth of line, and character without feeling over-stretched.
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. At Grade 8, candidates must choose at least one accompanied piece.
For the broader level-by-level view, read this with ABRSM violin repertoire by grade. Students thinking beyond graded exams may also want the music school and conservatory audition checklist, even though the audition principles should be adapted for violin repertoire.
Other grades: Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Grade 5 | Grade 6 | Grade 7 | Grade 8
Grade 8 difficulty summary
Grade 8 asks for independence, proportion, stamina, and a convincing artistic point of view. The programme should show breadth without sounding over-stretched.
Grade 8 programme planning note
At this level, choose for musical fit before publication convenience. A familiar title is useful only if the student can sustain sound, architecture, and character through the full performance.
How to choose a Grade 8 programme
Build the programme around one central piece the student can truly inhabit. Then choose the other two for contrast, not for prestige. At Grade 8, maturity of choice is already part of the performance.
Grade 8 repertoire: List A
| No. | Composer | Piece | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dauvergne | Allegro, 4th movt from Sonata in E, Op. 2 No. 11 | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 8 (ABRSM) |
| 2 | Mozart | Allegro con spirito, 1st movt from Sonata No. 6, K. 306 | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 8 (ABRSM) |
| 3 | Nardini | Allegro moderato, 1st movt from Concerto in E minor, arr. Hauser | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 8 (ABRSM) |
| 4 | J. S. Bach | Allemanda, 1st movt from Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004 SOLO | J. S. Bach: Three Sonatas and Three Partitas, BWV 1001-1006 (Barenreiter) |
| 5 | J. S. Bach | 1st movt from Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041; violin to play in tuttis | J. S. Bach: Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041 (Henle or Barenreiter) |
| 6 | Beethoven | Allegro vivace, 3rd movt from Sonata in G, Op. 30 No. 3 | Beethoven: Sonatas for Piano and Violin, Vol. 2 (Henle) |
| 7 | Corelli | Vivace, Adagio and Allegro, 3rd, 4th and 5th movts from Sonata in F, Op. 5 No. 4; ornamentation in 4th movt optional | Corelli: Violin Sonatas, Op. 5, Vol. 1 (Wiener Urtext) or Corelli: 12 Sonatas, Op. 5, Vol. 1 (Schott) |
| 8 | Kammel | Tempo giusto, 3rd movt from Sonata in A, Op. 10 No. 2; bb. 44-45, 102-103 and 110-111 may be separately bowed | Bohemian Violin Sonatas, Vol. 1 (Henle) |
| 9 | Mozart | Largo-Allegro, 1st movt from Sonata in B-flat, K. 454 | Mozart: Sonatas for Piano and Violin, Vol. 3 (Henle) or Mozart: Complete Works for Piano and Violin, Vol. 2 (Barenreiter) |
| 10 | Schreivogel | Larghetto and Vivace, 2nd and 1st movts from Sonata in E-flat | Schreivogel: Sonata in E-flat (Edition HH) |
| 11 | Haydn | Allegro moderato, 1st movt from Concerto in G, Hob. VIIa:4 | Haydn: Concerto No. 2 in G, Hob. VIIa/4 (Peters) |
| 12 | Stravinsky | Introduzione and Serenata, 1st and 2nd movts from Suite Italienne, trans. Stravinsky & Dushkin | Stravinsky: Suite Italienne for Violin (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 13 | Vivaldi | Allegro, 1st movt from Concerto in E, La Primavera, Op. 8 No. 1, RV 269 | Vivaldi: Concerto in E, Op. 8 No. 1 Spring (Peters) |
Grade 8 repertoire: List B
| No. | Composer | Piece | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A. Beach | Romance, Op. 23 | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 8 (ABRSM) |
| 2 | S. Coleridge-Taylor | African Dance No. 2, from Four African Dances, Op. 58 | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 8 (ABRSM) |
| 3 | Suk | Un poco triste, No. 3 from Four Pieces, Op. 17 | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 8 (ABRSM) |
| 4 | Albeniz | Tango, Op. 165 No. 2, arr. Kreisler | Albeniz: Tango for Violin, arr. Kreisler (Schott) or Fritz Kreisler Repertoire (Schott) |
| 5 | Brahms | Presto agitato, 4th movt from Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108 | Brahms: Sonata in D minor, Op. 108 (Barenreiter) or Brahms: Sonata for Piano and Violin, Op. 108 (Wiener Urtext) |
| 6 | Lalo | Andante, 4th movt from Symphonie espagnole, Op. 21 | Lalo: Symphonie espagnole, Op. 21 (Peters or Henle) |
| 7 | Florentine Mulsant | Chant, 3rd movt from Suite pour violon, Op. 50 SOLO | Florentine Mulsant: Suite pour violon, Op. 50 (Furore Verlag) |
| 8 | Saint-Saens | Elegie, Op. 143 | Saint-Saens: Elegie, Op. 143 (Durand) |
| 9 | Tchaikovsky | Canzonetta: Andante, 2nd movt from Concerto in D, Op. 35 | Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D, Op. 35 (Peters) or Three Romantic Violin Concertos (G. Schirmer) |
| 10 | Trad. Hebrew | Hatikvah, arr. Andrew | Hatikvah (Hal Leonard) |
| 11 | Chaminade | Romanza, No. 2 from Trois morceaux, Op. 31 | Chaminade: Trois morceaux, Op. 31 (Masters Music Publications) |
| 12 | Grieg | Allegretto tranquillo, 2nd movt from Sonata in G, Op. 13 | Grieg: Sonata in G, Op. 13 (Peters) |
| 13 | John Williams | Remembrances, from Schindler’s List, observing printed cadenza | John Williams: Three Pieces from Schindler’s List (Wise) |
Grade 8 repertoire: List C
| No. | Composer | Piece | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L. Boulanger | D’un matin de printemps | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 8 (ABRSM) |
| 2 | Reena Esmail | Varsha SOLO | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 8 (ABRSM) |
| 3 | Drdla | Mazurka No. 2, Op. 23 | Violin Exam Pieces from 2024, Grade 8 (ABRSM) |
| 4 | Bartok | Buciumeana, Poarga romaneasca and Maruntel, Nos. 4, 5 and 6 from Romanian Folk Dances, trans. Szekely | Bartok: Romanian Folk Dances for Violin (Boosey & Hawkes or Universal) |
| 5 | Chen Yi | Fisherman’s Song | Chen Yi: Fisherman’s Song (Presser) |
| 6 | Finzi | Hornpipe rondo, 3rd movt from Concerto for Violin | Finzi: Violin Concerto (Boosey & Hawkes) or The Boosey and Hawkes Violin Anthology (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 7 | G. & I. Gershwin & Heyward | It ain’t necessarily so, from Porgy and Bess, trans. Heifetz | Porgy and Bess Selections for Violin (Faber) |
| 8 | ten Have | Allegro brillant, Op. 19 | ten Have: Allegro brillant, Op. 19 (Bosworth) or Solos for Young Violinists, Vol. 4 (Alfred) |
| 9 | Joby Talbot | November: Eleven, from Once Around the Sun, with repeat SOLO | Joby Talbot: November: Eleven for Violin (Chester) |
| 10 | Bacewicz | Polish Caprice SOLO | Bacewicz: Polish Caprice (PWM) |
| 11 | Helen Grime | Romance for Violin | Helen Grime: Romance for Violin (Chester) |
| 12 | V. Monti | Czardas | V. Monti: Czardas for Violin (Ricordi or Peters) |
| 13 | Ravel | Blues-Moderato, 2nd movt from Violin Sonata No. 2 | Ravel: Sonate pour Violon (Durand) |
Grade 8 scales and arpeggios
All scales and arpeggios are played from memory.
| Keys | Range | Bowing and rhythm |
|---|---|---|
| Scales | ||
| A-flat/G-sharp, C, D-flat/C-sharp, E-flat, and E 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 | ||
| A-flat/G-sharp, C, D-flat/C-sharp, E-flat, and E majors and minors | 3 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 9 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Dominant sevenths | ||
| In the keys of D-flat, F, A-flat, and A | 3 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 4 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Diminished sevenths | ||
| Starting on C, E-flat, and E | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 4 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Starting on A-flat | 3 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 4 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Chromatic scales | ||
| Starting on C, E-flat, and E | 2 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 12 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Starting on A-flat | 3 octaves | Separate bows or slurred, 12 notes to a bow, at the examiner's choice. Even notes. |
| Double-stop scales in parallel | ||
| In octaves, in D major; in octaves, in G minor, harmonic and melodic | 1 octave | Separate bows. Even notes or long tonic at the candidate's choice. |
| In sixths, in E-flat major | 2 octaves | Separate bows. Even notes or long tonic at the candidate's choice. |
| Double-stop scale in broken steps | ||
| In thirds, in B-flat major | 2 octaves | See page 16 of the official syllabus. |
Practical recommendation
At Grade 8, build the programme like a compact recital. Difficulty matters, but proportion, stamina, contrast, and a sustainable sound matter more.
For the broader level-by-level view, return to the ABRSM violin repertoire by grade guide.
