I've just decided to have a bash at time pieces, to see whether I can play anything. I've avoided playing my viola because i haven't been able to find a teacher, and I've been reluctant to develop hideous habits. But I decided I can't keep putting it off forever, and since I can't find a teacher, I had a good bash at it tonight. Given that it's only about the fourth or fifth time I've picked the viola up, I was reasonably pleased with my efforts.

Anyway, played through most of time pieces book one, and settled on a few pieces I'd like to play for my 'grade 1 challenge'. Problem is I can't get the ABRSM viola exams booklet to download (think there's something wrong with my acrobat reader). So I wondered if anyone had the syllabus to hand, and could check whether these pieces are on the grade 1 syllabus?

I was looking at Grieg's Arietta, the Holst Theme from Jupiter, the Byrd Earl of Salisbury's Pavan, and Arne's under the Greendwood tree.

I've managed to play these pieces with good intonation (checked with my chromatic tuner, and I think the dynamics are reasonable. I'm applying principles from my cello bowing (will that work?), and think I've got that sorted for these pieces too. Will that do for grade 1, or do I need to work on anything more?

Scales are fine, I've managed to play through to about the grade 3 scales without any trouble, so not worried about that.

Finally, sightreading - what sort of thing can you expect for grade 1 sightreading? I had a bash at the Elgar 'six very easy pieces in the first position' and found I could sight read that ok - is that good enough for grade 1 do you think?

In short, given that I'm supposed to be doing the 'grade 1 challenge' in the autumn exam period, do you think I'm going to make it?

Yes



Grade 1 pieces from Time Pieces vol 1:

A

J S Bach Chorale: Alle Menschen Mussen Sterben

B

Dvorak Larghetto

C

Hmmm don't appear to be any C pieces in it...

The Byrd is on G3, ditto the Grieg & the Holst

Far as I can work out the Arne isn't on the lists.

I think you'll be fine for the Autumn, I suspect that prep on the cello will have stood you in very good stead.

Wooo, another viola player!



I did the Andantino for my grade 2 violin, back in the days when I played violin, so I should think you'll be fine!

Thanks Sarah, that's great.

Ho hum. Sounds like I should be going for grade 3 - I had those pieces all nice and shiny sounding - back to the drawing board, then!!

I think I've managed to crack the alto clef thing. I've anchored it in my head on the open strings. So as long as I remember treble clef C is actually D, and bass clef b is really the a (not sure why it has to be that particular mnemonic, but hey!) I'm ok.

I did a bit of shifting upwards for the Holst piece - I found that much easier than I did with the cello shifts. Maybe because of the shorter distances, I'm not overshooting in the way I used to on the cello.

Even my husband was impressed with my work tonight (once he worked out I wasn't playing my cello, lol. Bless, he's not really very musically inclined).

Upwards and onwards, I suppose.

I was imagining, though didn't say, that after all the shifting required on cello just at a basic level, viola must seem relatively easy in that department!

Have to say I really enjoyed it. I felt all musical and capable. Twas cool.

Still a bit worried about entering for an exam with no teacher in view.

I shouldn't think you've too much to worry about. At grade 1 you are going to be fine, I am sure. It would be more ideal to have a teacher in tow, but to get through that exam I honestly don't think, with your musical and esp your cello background, that G1 viola will be a problem. If you can find a viola or violin toting friend nearby who can check you're not doing anything grossly wrong, you shouldn't get into too many bad habits either. If all else fails I should think a couple of lessons with a violin specialist would be better than nothing although obviously a viola teacher would be the best. They're not so different that it would be too worrying at G1, I should think. You might even find a violin teacher who plays/teaches viola. That might just give you a confidence boost?

Hello, does anyone know where I can get a viola grade book. I would be looking to take grade 3 probably but not just yet. However I can't find the ABRSM grade book anywhere. Do they do exams for viola?

They do indeed! I took grade 5 viola in March.

IIRC, for grade 3 you would have at least one piece from each list if you bought Time Pieces for Viola book 1 from your local music shop (or from Musicroom if you prefer). You can find the grade 3 syllabus on this website, in the Exams section.

Hi
They do do viola exams but the pieces are usually taken from different books rather than a one-book publication as they do for violin or piano. Can get expensive...

W

Thanks Rainbow and Willobie. What a pain, I'm going to have to invest in loads of books. On the bright side, I have the Starters for Viola book so I should be able to judge my progress against that a little bit. The Time Pieces does look quite good for grades 1-3 though so I might just get that.

That's what I'm having to do, unless I want to pay big bucks, £25+ per hour. Can't afford that! Another alternative, if you live near enough to a Uni to do this, is to advertise in their school of music for one of their students to teach you, or mentor you, as you already have strings experience. Anyway, there's a violin teacher who lives across the road from me, has offered slightly discounted lessons and who plays viola well enough to do so in quartets when there are no violists on hand.