Eastman School of Music

Viola Curriculum

Level I

Standards and Requirements

  • Establish good posture and physical coordination
  • Proper left-hand shape
  • Awareness of 2nd finger pattern placement
  • Use of bow to produce proper articulation (long/short) and dynamics (loud/soft?
  • Proper bow hold (Bent thumb, curved pinky, soft knuckles)

Scales

  • One 1 octave scale

Repertoire

  • Two pieces from Suggested Repertoire

Etude

  • *no etude requirement

Suggested Repertoire

  • Solo Time for Strings, Etling Book 1
  • Essential Elements for Viola, Book 1
  • Suzuki, Volume 1
  • Applebaum Scales for viola volume 1

Level II

Standards and Requirements

  • Consistent good posture and physical coordination
  • Easy double stops in first position (open strings)
  • Simple shifting technique from first position to third position
  • Varied bowing patterns in scales, etudes, solo or arpeggios
  • Sustained tone production
  • String crossings with separate, slurs and hooked bowings

Scales

  • One 1 octave major scale
  • One 1 octave minor scale

Repertoire

  • One piece, memory not required

Suggested Repertoire

  • Samuel Flor- I like to play scales for Viola
  • Applebaum Scales for Viola, Volume 2
  • Building Technic with Beautiful Music, Applebaum, volume 1
  • Beautiful Music to learn by Rote, Applebaum, Volume 1
  • Suzuki Volume 1, no.15 and forward or any from Volume 1
  • Solo Time for Strings, Etling, Book 2-3

Level III

Standards and Requirements

  • Posture and well-balanced body motions
  • Fluidity in shifting from first to third positions
  • Usage of 2nd position
  • Basic vibrato motion
  • Use of dynamics and musical expression
  • Ability to bow on the sounding point with good bow direction
  • Introducing Treble clef

Scales

  • One 2 octave major scale with tonic arpeggio
  • One 2 octave minor scale

Etude

Any one etude from the following

  • Wolfahrt, Book 1
  • Hoffmann Etudes
  • Whistler, Introducing the positions

Repertoire

  • One piece, memory not required

Suggested Repertoire

  • Whistler, Introducing the positions, Volume 1
  • Lifschey, Scales in the First position
  • Mogill Scale studies for viola
  • Building Technic with Beautiful Music, Volume 2. Applebaum
  • Beautiful Music to learn by Rote, Applebaum, Volume 2
  • Solo Time for Strings, Etling Book 4-5
  • Kuchler, Concertine in G, op 15
  • Suzuki, No.9 and forward of volume 2, any from Volume 3, or No. 1 and 2 of Volume 4
  • Elgar, 6 very easy pieces for Viola

Level IV

Standards and Requirements

  • Correct and well balanced posture
  • Balanced bow arm and fluid use of fingers, wrist and elbow
  • Awareness of bow-division, bow-speed and sounding point
  • Awareness and thoughtful application of printed dynamics
  • Reliable shifting and intonation
  • Fluid vibrato motion
  • Finger coordination
  • 2 octave scales with 7 arpeggio sequences for chosen major and minor scales with correct fingering
  • Jury program represents varying bowing styles such as legato, martele, staccato and spiccato

Scales

  • One 2 octave major scale with harmonic arpeggio sequence
  • One 2 octave minor scale with harmonic arpeggio sequence

Etude

Any one etude from the following

  • Mazas Etudes Especiales
  • Wolfahrt Book 2
  • Whitsler Position Etudes, book 1 or 2

One Double Stop study from either Trott or Hoffman

Repertoire

One piece memorized

Suggested Repertoire

  •  Fiocco, Allegro
  • Seitz Concertos, Suzuki bk. 4, #1 or2
  • Solo Time for Strings, Etling, Book 5
  • Back Unaccompanied Suite No. 1 or 2
  • Bach, Arioso
  • Bach, CPE Sonata in G Major
  • Vivaldi Concertos
  • Suzuki  no.3 and forward of Volume 4 or any from Volume 5
  • Handel Sonata in A major, Op.1, No.15
  • Telemann, Concerto for Viola Movements 1&2 or 3&4
  • Marais, Theme and Variations, (P.Doktor)
  • Marcello Sonatas
  • Handoshkin, Concerto
  • JC Bach Concerto, 1st or 2nd Mvts.

Level V

Standards and Requirements

  • Correct, healthy posture
  • Artistic use of the bow arm with fluid use of fingers, wrist and elbow.
  • Proper use of bow-division, bow speed and sounding point
  • Application of printed dynamics and performing with artistic expression
  • Fluid and continuous vibrato
  • 3 octave scales with 7 arpeggio sequences, recommended keys C-Eb
  • Repertoire which utilizes first through 5th positions
  • Jury program represents varying bowing styles, including spiccato, legato, martele, staccato
  • Understanding of articulation markings and musical terminology printed in repertoire

Scales

  • One 3 octave major scale with harmonic arpeggio sequence
  • One 3 octave minor scale with harmonic arpeggio sequence

Bach

  • A single movement of Bach, suggested from suites 1-3

Etude

One intermediate etude from the following:

  • Kreutzer
  • Mazas Brilliantes

One Intermediate Double Stop study from either Trott or Hoffman

Repertoire

Any movement of a major concerto, concert piece or major sonata work with piano accompaniment
Either Bach or the Repertoire selection must be performed from memory

Suggested Repertoire

  • Accolay, Concerto No.1
  • Block, Meditation and Processional
  • Bruch, Kol Nidre
  • Eccles, Sonata
  • Elgar, Salut d’amour
  • Faure, Eelgy
  • Handel, Concerto in B minor
  • Hindemith, Trauermusik
  • Hummel, Fantasy
  • Kreisler, Sicilienne and Rigadaun, Libieslied, Shon Rosmarin
  • Massenet, Meditation from “Thais”
  • Rachmaninov, Vocalise
  • Senaille, Allegro Spiritoso
  • Suzuki Book 5, Seitz Concerto no.3
  • Suzuki, Book 6, Brahms, Hungarian Dance
  • JC Bach Concerto, Last movement
  • Mozart, Adagio and Rondo
  • Novacek, Perpetual Motion
  • Ries, Perpetual Motion
  • Tchaikovsky, Canzonetta
  • Telemann, 12 unaccompanied fantasies
  • Vaughan Williams, Suite for viola and orchestra
  • Zelter Concerto in Eb major, 1st movement

Level VI

Standards and Requirements

  • Correct, healthy posture
  • 3 octave scales with 7 arpeggio sequences, recommended keys Eb and higher
  • Reliable core skills, including: variety of distinct bow strokes, observance of dynamics, accurate shifting/double stops and varied vibrato
  • Understanding of musical structure and all musical markings
  • Basic understanding of appropriate stylistic techniques
  • Repertoire which demands facility in all positions
  • Use of complex left-hand techniques such as three/four note chords, harmonics and glissandi
  • Sensitive and Responsive collaboration with pianist

Scales (must be different from level 5 jury)

  • One 3 octave major scale with harmonic arpeggio sequence
  • One 3 octave minor scale with harmonic arpeggio sequence

Bach

  • Any movement of Bach from Suites 4-6
  • OR
  • Any 2 contrasting movement from Suites 1-3

Etude

Any Advanced Etude from the following:

  • Lillian Fuchs
  • Kreutzer
  • Campangnoli
  • Fiorello
  • Dont
  • Tartini Bowing Variations

Repertoire

  • Any movement of a major concerto, concert piece or major sonata work with piano accompaniment

    *Either Bach or Repertoire selection must be performed by memory, recommended to memorize both.

Suggested Repertoire

  • Bartok, Roumanian Folk Dances
  • Bartok, Concerto for Viola and Orchestra
  • Bloch, Suite Hebraique for viola
  • Bloch Suite 1919
  • Bruch Romance
  • Corelli, La Folia Sonata
  • Rebecca Clarke Sonata
  • Enesco Concertpiece
  • Glinka Sonata
  • Hindemith, Der Schwanendreher
  • Hindemith Sonata, op 25, no.1 any 2 mvts
  • Hindemith, op.11 no. 4
  • Hoffmeister, Concerto in D
  • Kreisler, Praeludium and Allegro
  • Paganini, Moto Perpetuo
  • Reger, Unaccompanied Suites
  • Schubert, Arpeggione Sonata
  • Schumann Marchenbilder
  • Tibor Serly, Rhapsody
  • Alan Shulman, Theme and Variations
  • Hans Sitt, Concertino op 46
  • Shostokovich Sonata
  • Stamitz, Concerto in D
  • Vaughan Williams, Romance
  • Vieuxtemps, Capriccio
  • Vieuxtemps, Elegie
  • Vieuxtemps, Sonata, in Bb
  • Vitali, Chaconne
  • Vivaldi, Sonata in G
  • Walton, Viola Concerto
  • York-Bowen Concerto

Last updated: 2/25/19

Student Handbook Table of Contents