An Expanded View of Student Violin Repertoire, Graded by Level

Students benefit from a wide variety of repertoire. All too often, however, student pieces are chosen from a very short list of popular pieces, primarily written by a small number composers from the 18th and 19th Centuries. As a result, and very unfortunately, some students are not even introduced to the developments in serious classical music of the past hundred years. Female composers and composers of color have historically been greatly under represented in the standard student repertoire, much to the detriment of the students’ holistic training and vibrancy of our artistic community, not to mention the disservice done to the composers themselves. In order to stay relevant, in order to train young minds ethically, and in order to be true to the spirit of creative growth and inclusivity inherent in the sublime art of music, we must broaden our concept of “standard repertoire.” If we do so, we can only become richer musicians and human beings for it.

The traditional “standard student repertoire” certainly has its place in good violin training. Such pieces are not included in this list, since they are already included in numerous books and elsewhere on the Internet.

The year of composition and catalog details are included when known. A reasonable effort was made to cite correct information, along with accurate piece and composer names/spelling, but accuracy is not guaranteed and should not be relied upon for scholarly purposes.

A Note About the Graded Levels

Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 correspond roughly with the levels set by the New England Conservatory Preparatory School. A brief description of each level is included at the beginning of each level’s list of repertoire, below. Of course, relative levels of difficulty are highly approximate and subjective - each student may find different pieces more or less challenging based on their personal ability and previous experience. It is up to the private teacher to choose appropriate pieces for a given student. Within a given level, the pieces are listed alphabetically by composer last name (i.e., they are NOT listed from easiest to hardest within a given level) - this is intentional, in order to give teachers maximum flexibility, and because this list is intended as a starting point for repertoire ideas, and not a one-size-fits-all progression of student pieces.

A Note About 20th and 21st Century Repertoire for Students

For students who have exclusively studied repertoire from the 18th and 19th Centuries, some of the musical styles and techniques in these pieces will be new and daunting in their unfamiliarity. This is not a convincing reason to grade all newer repertoire as "advanced,” as is sometimes done. Developing comfort with different patterns, harmonies or other systems of organization, techniques, aesthetics, etc. is an absolutely central part of progressing from beginner to artist level within a given musical style. For example, imagine how difficult the opening lines of the Accolay Concerto would be if a student had not studied the standard arpeggios, how confusing the harmonies and phrasing in the Bach a minor Concerto would be if a student weren’t already immersed in Common Practice harmony, or how challenging the bow strokes from Haydn’s G Major Concerto would be if they had not already been encountered in countless standard etudes - yet all three of these pieces are considered beginner/early-intermediate level, and are included in the Conservatory’s Level 2. Lack of familiarity should not be equated with objective level of difficulty.

A Note About Inclusivity

This page only lists pieces not already well represented in the standard student repertoire, with a particular emphasis on female composers, Black composers, and composers from the 20th and 21st Centuries. This list, like any list, can always be expanded, pruned, and improved. It is not complete or representative of the total repertoire. It is merely a single resource among many, which may be helpful for teachers looking to expand their teaching repertoire. This list is offered to teachers in the hope that it will inspire others to do further research, to discover new pieces on ever broader horizons, to keep aware of contemporary music being written today, and - above all - not to limit one’s repertoire by constrained views or unquestioned habits.

Jump to… (click to jump)

Jump to Level 1 Repertoire

Jump to Level 2 Repertoire

Jump to Level 3 Repertoire

Jump to Level 4 Repertoire

 

Level 1

Level 1 includes easy pieces, suitable for the first stages of study.

Pauline Viardot-Garcia

  • Sonatine (1874) violin and piano)

Jane Mary Guest

  • Sonata in D major, Op. 1, no. 2 (violin or flute and piano or harpsichord)

Barbara Heller

  • Lalai. Schlaflied zum Wachwerden?

Franziska Lebrun

  • Sonata Op 3 No 1

Various Composers

  • Music by Black Composers, Violin Volume 1 (compilation)

Level 2

Level 2 repertoire, as set by the New England Conservatory, ranges from quite easy pieces such as those found in Suzuki Book 3 through advanced-intermediate pieces, such as the Accolay Concerto and Bach Concerto in a minor. The easier pieces in Level 2 should be approachable for intermediate students with a strong technical, musical, and theoretical foundation. The more advanced pieces in Level 2 are already very musically rich, and could even be included as part of a professional recital program.

Samuel Adler

  • Little Suite (violin and piano)

Elfrida Andrée

  • Sonata in Bb (violin and piano)

  • Sonata in Eb (violin and piano)

  • Two Romances (1884) (violin and piano)

  • Three Romances (violin piano)

Marion Bauer

  • Up the Ocklawaha Op. 6 (violin and piano)

Amy Beach

  • Barcarolle (violin and piano)

  • Lento Espressivo, Op. 125 (violin and piano)

  • Romance (violin and piano)

  • Mazurka (violin and piano)

  • Invocation (violin and piano)

  • La Captive (violin and piano)

  • Berceuse (violin and piano)

  • Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 34 (violin and piano)

Lili Boulanger

  • D’un matin de printemps (violin and piano)

Ina Boyle

  • Violin Concerto (violin and orchestra)

John Cage

  • Six Melodies (violin and keyboard)

  • Nocturne for Violin and Piano (violin and piano)

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

  • African Dances (violin and piano)

  • Suite for Violin and Organ (or piano), Op. 3 (Suite de Piêces) (1893) (violin and organ or piano)

  • Three Hiawatha Sketches for violin and piano, Op. 16 (1897) (violin and piano)

  • Violin Sonata in D minor, Op. 28 (violin and piano)

  • Romance in G (violin and orchestra)

Maria Margarethe Danzi

  • Sonata No 3 (violin and piano)

Peter Maxwell Davies

  • Mrs Linklater's Tune For Violin (1998) (unaccompanied violin)

  • Sonatina for Violin and Cimbalom (violin and cimbalom)

Emma Lou Diemer

  • Suite (violin and piano)

Sophia Dussek

  • Sonata in D (1793) (violin or flute and harpsichord or piano)

Rachel Eubanks

  • Kiép Nào CóYeu Nhau (1994) (violin and piano)

Louise Farrenc (1804-1875)

  • Violin Sonata No. 1 in c minor, Op. 37 (violin and piano)

  • Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 39 (violin and piano)

Lukas Foss

  • Three American Pieces (1944) (violin and orchestra, piano reduction available)

Pauline Viardot-Garcia

  • Six Morceaux (violin and piano)

Mauricio Kagel

  • Klangwolfe for Violin and Piano (1979) (violin and piano)

Paul Lansky

  • Hop (violin and marimba)

Jessie Montgomery

  • Piece (violin and piano)

Florence Price

  • Andante Con Espressione (violin and piano)

  • Deserted Garden (violin and piano)

  • Elefentanz (violin and piano)

  • Fantasie in G minor for Violin and Piano (1933) (violin and piano)

  • Violin Concerto No 1 (violin and orchestra)

  • Violin Concerto No 2 (violin and orchestra)

Krzysztof Penderecki

  • Tanz (unaccompanied violin)

Irena Regina Poldowski

  • Sonata (violin and piano)

  • Berceuse de l'enfant mourant (violin and piano)

  • Largo Phryne (violin and piano)

  • Tango (violin and piano)

Magaly Ruiz

  • Fantasia con Habanera (violin and piano)

Murray Schafer

  • Wild Bird (violin and harp)

Peter Sculthorpe

  • Serenade (2005) (unaccompanied violin)

  • Alone (1978) (unaccompanied violin)

William Grant Still

  • Carmela (violin and piano)

  • Suite for Violin & Piano (1943)  (violin and piano)

  • The Blues (violin and piano)

  • Here’s One (violin and piano)

  • Quit Dat Fool’nish (violin and piano)

  • Summerland (violin and piano)

  • Pastorela (violin and piano)

  • Two Cameos (violin and piano)

 Igor Stravinsky

  • Elegy (unaccompanied violin)

Maria Szymanowska

  • Divertissement pour le Pianoforte avec Accompagnement de Violon (violin and piano)

David Del Tredici

  • Farewell (violin and piano)

Level 3

Level 3 repertoire, as set by the New England Conservatory, ranges from intermediate level repertoire such as the Dont Op 37 études, Monti Csardas, and Suzuki Book 6, through highly advanced pieces, including the Mendelssohn, Barber, and Spohr concertos. This is an incredibly wide range, making Level 3 something of a “catchall.” Some of the Level 3 pieces included in the list below are highly advanced, professional-level pieces, which will only be suitable for students who already have the requisite technical training and musical sophistication. There are other Level 3 pieces in this list, however, that may be much more approachable for the typical intermediate/advanced student. Naturally, it is up to the private teacher to decide which of these pieces are suitable for a given student.

Samuel Adler

  • Violin Sonata No 2 (1964) (violin and piano)

  • Violin Sonata No 3 (1965) (violin and piano)

  • Meadowmountetudes #1 (unaccompanied violin)

  • Double Portrait (1985) (violin and piano) 

Milton Babbitt

  • An Encore (2006) (violin and piano)

  • Arrivals and Departures (1994) (two violins)

Grazyna Bacewicz

  • Humoreska (violin and piano)

Luciano Berio

  • Sequenza VIII for Solo Violin (1976) (unaccompanied violin)

  • Duets for Two Violins (two unaccompanied violins)

Sylvie Bodorová

  • Concerto dei fiori (1996) (violin and string orchestra)

Joseph Bologne

  • Adagio in f minor (violin and piano)

  • Sonata I in B♭ major, G.076, Op 1a (violin and keyboard)

  • Sonata II in A major, G.077, Op 1a (violin and keyboard)

  • Sonata III in G minor, G.078, Op 1a (violin and keyboard)

  • Concerto I in G major, G.025, Op 2 (1773) (violin and orchestra)

  • Concerto II in D major, G.026, Op 2 (1773) (violin and orchestra)

  • Concerto I in D major, G.027, Op 3 (1774) (violin and orchestra)

  • Concerto II in C major, G.028 Op 3 (1774) (violin and orchestra)

  • Concerto I in D major, G.029, Op 4 (1774) (violin and orchestra)

  • Concerto II in D major, Op 4 (1774) (violin and orchestra)

  • Concerto I in C major, G.031, Op 5 (1775) (violin and orchestra)

  • Concerto II in A major, G.032 Op 5 (1775) (violin and orchestra)

  • Concerto I in A major, G.039, Op 7 (1777) (violin and orchestra)

  • Concerto II in B♭ major, G.040 Op 7 (1777) (violin and orchestra)

  • Concerto I in D major, Op 8 (violin and orchestra)

  • Concerto II in G major, G.050, Op 8 (violin and orchestra)

  • Concerto I in D major, G.021, Op 12 (1777) (violin and orchestra)

  • Concerto II in G major, G.022, Op 12 (1777) (violin and orchestra)

  • Sonata I in B♭ major, G.209, Op posth. (violin and violin accompaniment)

  • Sonata in E♭ major, G.210, Op posth. (violin and violin accompaniment)

  • Sonata in A major, G.211, Op posth. (violin and violin accompaniment)

  • Sonata in G major, G.212, Op posth. (violin and violin accompaniment)

  • Sonata in B♭ major, G.213, Op posth. (violin and violin accompaniment)

  • Violin Sonata in G major, G.188 (1783) (violin and piano)

  • Variations in G major, G.089 (violin and piano)

  • Sonata in G major, G.041 (violin and harpsichord)

Pierre Boulez

  • Anthemes 1 (1991) (unaccompanied violin)

  • Anthemes 2 (violin and electronics)

Benjamin Britten

  • Suite for Violin and Piano Op 6 (violin and piano)

  • Violin Concerto No 1 Op 15 (violin and orchestra)

John Corigliano

  • Sonata for Violin and Piano (violin and piano)

  • STOMP (2011) (unaccompanied violin)

Jean Coulthard

  • Violin Concerto (1959) (violin and orchestra)

Guirne Creith

  • Violin Concerto in G minor (violin and orchestra)

George Crumb

  • Four Nocturnes (violin and piano)

Peter Maxwell Davies

  • Sonatina for Violin Alone Op 334 (unaccompanied violin)

Jennifer Higdon

  • Violin Concerto (1962) (violin and orchestra)

Scott Joplin

  • Ragtime for Violin, arranged by Itzhak Perlman (violin and piano)

Lucrecia Kasilag

  • Violin Concerto (violin and orchestra)

Helmut Lachenmann

  • Toccatina (unaccompanied violin)

Elizabeth Maconchy

  • Serenata Concertante for Violin and Orchestra (violin and orchestra)

Wynton Marsalis

  • Violin Concerto in D Major (violin and orchestra)

  • Fiddle Dance Suite (unaccompanied violin)

Jessie Montgomery

  • Rhapsody No 1 (unaccompanied violin)

  • Rhapsody No 2 (unaccompanied violin)

Thea Musgrave

  • Colloquy (1960) (violin and piano)

Arvo Paert

  • Fratres (violin and piano)

Krzysztof Penderecki

  • Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No 2 (violin and orchestra)

  • Sonata for Violin and Piano No 2 (violin and piano)

  • Cadenza (unaccompanied violin)

Carmen Petra-Basacopol

  • Violin concerto No 1 Op 21 (1963) (violin and orchestra)

George Rochberg

  • Violin Concerto (violin and orchestra)

  • Violin Sonata (1988) (violin and piano) (Mvt. 1 in Level 3, Mvt.’s 2 and 3 in Level 4)

  • Duo Concertante (violin and cello)

Peter Schat

  • Genen, voor viool en piano Op 47 (2000) (violin and piano)

Gunther Schuller

  • Duologue (violin and piano)

Peter Sculthorpe

  • Irkanda I (unaccompanied violin)

  • Irkanda IV (1961) (violin, percussion, and string orchestra)

Karlheinz Stockhausen

  • Sonatine for Violin and Piano (1951) (violin and piano)

  • Zodiac for Solo Violin (unaccompanied violin)

Igor Stravinsky

  • Violin Concerto in D Major (1931)

Margaret Sutherland

  • Violin Concerto (1960) (violin and orchestra)

Susanne Erding Swiridoff

  • Maske und Kristall (1991) (violin and piano)

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

  • Violin Concerto in G minor, Op. 80 (1912) (violin and orchestra)

Joan Tower

  • String Force (2010) (unaccompanied violin)

  • Second String Force (unaccompanied violin)

  • Platinum Spirals (1976) (unaccompanied violin)

George Walker

  • Sonata for Violin and Piano No 1 (violin and piano)

  • Violin and Piano Sonata No 2 (violin and piano)

  • Bleu (unaccompanied violin)

  • Poem (violin and orchestra)

Grace Williams

  • Violin Concerto (violin and orchestra)

Charles Wuorinen

  • 6 Pieces for Violin and Piano (violin and piano)

  • Concerto for Amplified Violin and Orchestra (1972) (amplified violin and orchestra)

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich

  • Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (violin and orchestra)

Level 4

Level 4, as set by the New England Conservatory, represents a highly developed technique and artist-level of musical sophistication. The Brahms, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Shostakovich concertos are all included in Level 4. The pieces listed below are recommended only for the most advanced students who already have achieved a professional level.

Harrison Birtwistle

  • Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (2011) (violin and orchestra)

John Cage

  • Freeman Etudes (unaccompanied violin)

Elliott Carter

  • Four Lauds for Solo Violin (unaccompanied violin)

  • Duo for Violin and Piano (1974) (violin and piano)

  • Violin Concerto (violin and orchestra)

John Corigliano

  • The Red Violin Caprices for Violin (1999) (unaccompanied violin)

Mario Davidovsky

  • Synchronisms No. 9 for Violin and Tape (violin and audio recording)

Brian Ferneyhough

  • Intermedio alla ciaccona (unaccompanied violin)

  • Unsichtbare Farben (1999) (unaccompanied violin)

Elena Firsova

  • Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Op 29 No 2 (1983) (violin and orchestra)

Lukas Foss

  • Orpheus and Euridice (1983) (two violins and orchestra)

Sophie Eckhardt-Gramatté

  • Violin Concerto No 2 (1951) (violin, concertante wind instruments, and orchestra)

Helen Grime

  • Violin Concerto (2016) (violin and orchestra)

Sofia Gubaidulina

  • Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No 1 “Offertorium” (1980) (violin and orchestra)

  • Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No 2 “In Tempus Praesens” (2007) (violin and orchestra)

Karel Husa

  • Violin Sonata (1973) (violin and piano)

György Ligeti

  • Violin Concerto (1993) (violin and orchestra)

Magnus Lindberg

  • Espressione II (1980)

  • Violin Concerto (2006) (violin and orchestra)

  • Violin Concerto No 2 (violin and orchestra)

Polina Nazaykinskaya

  • Five Caprices for Violin Solo (2020) (unaccompanied violin)

  • Hope (unaccompanied violin)

Per Nørgård

  • Violin Concerto “Helle Nacht” (violin and orchestra)

  • Violin Concerto No 2 “Borderlines” (violin and orchestra)

Krzysztof Penderecki

  • Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No 1 (violin and orchestra)

  • Capriccio for Violin and Orchestra (violin and orchestra)

Shulamit Ran

  • Violin Concerto

George Rochberg

  • Caprice Variations for Solo Violin (1970) (unaccompanied violin)

  • Rhapsody and Prayer (violin and piano)

Ralph Shapey

  • Sonata No 1 for Solo Violin (1972) (unaccompanied violin)