Band Grading Guidelines
Grade 1
- TEMPO
- Andante (72) to Moderato (120)
- No tempo changes
- METER
-
- KEYS
- 1 to 4 flats
- NOTE VALUES
- Whole
- Dotted half
- Half
- Quarter
- Dotted quarter
- Eighth
- RHYTHM
- Mostly unison rhythm
- DYNAMICS
- to
- ARTICULATION
- Attack
- Release
- Slur
- Staccato
- Accent
- LENGTH
- 1 to 3 minutes
- WHAT TO AVOID
- Clarinets crossing the break
- Key changes
- Frequent meter changes
- Exposed solos
- 2 horn parts
Grade 2
- TEMPO
- Andante (72) to Allegro (132)
- ritardando and accelerando
- METER
-
- Easy compound meters can be used
- KEYS
- 0 to 4 flats
- NOTE VALUES
- + Simple 16th notes
- + Triplets
- RHYTHM
- Simple syncopation, dotted rhythm
- + More non-unison
- DYNAMICS
- to
- short crescendo and diminuendo
- ARTICULATION
- + Legato
- LENGTH
- 2 to 5 minutes
- WHAT TO AVOID
- Frequent key changes
- Frequent meter changes
- Extensive use of 2 horn parts
Grade 3
- TEMPO
- Largo (56) to Allegro (144)
- + rallentando
- METER
-
- Easy changing meters
- KEYS
- 0 to 5 flats
- NOTE VALUES
- All values in duple meter
- Easy values in compound meter
- RHYTHM
- Duple and triple meter syncopation
- DYNAMICS
- to
- crescendo and diminuendo
- + ,
- ARTICULATION
- + Tenuto
- LENGTH
- 3 to 7 minutes
- WHAT TO AVOID
- Extreme high and low registers
- Difficult double reed solos
- Complex syncopation
Grade 4
- TEMPO
- Largo (44) to Presto (168)
- METER
-
- Asymmetrical meter changes
- KEYS
- 1 sharp to 6 flats
- NOTE VALUES
- All values in all meters
- RHYTHM
- All except:
- Complex 16th note syncopation
- Complex compound meter syncopation
- DYNAMICS
- to
- long crescendo and diminuendo
- ARTICULATION
- 2+ articulations at same time in ensemble
- LENGTH
- 6+ minutes
Grade 5
- TEMPO
- Largo (44) to Prestissimo (208)
- METER
- Any meter combination
- KEYS
- Any key
- Limit abrupt key changes
- NOTE VALUES
- All values in all meters
- RHYTHM
- All rhythms
- DYNAMICS
- Multiple dynamics between instruments
- ARTICULATION
- All articulations
- LENGTH
- Any length
- WHAT TO AVOID
- Player ability limits
Orchestra Grading Guidelines
Grade ½
- TEMPO
- Moderato
- No tempo changes
- METER
-
- KEYS
- D major | B minor
- D and A strings only
- Bass:
- D and G strings
- Open A string
- RANGE
- 1st position
- 6 note limit preferred
- D-E-F#-G-A
- Unison preferred
- 3 Part Scoring:
- Violin 1
- Violin 2, Viola
- Cello, Bass
- BOWINGS
- Simple detache
- Slow pizz.
- Minimal string crossings
- Rest between arco and pizz.
- RHYTHMS
- Quarter notes and rests
- Some half notes and rests
- Unison rhythms
- DURATION
- Up to 1½ minutes
Grade 1 to 1 ½
- TEMPO
- Andante
- Moderato
- Allegro
- METER
-
- KEYS
- D major | B minor
- Easy G major | E minor
- Low 2nd finger in Grade 1½
- RANGE
- 1st position
- Independent Violin 2, Viola
- + Open E and C strings
- Cello/Bass double in Grade 1
- + Bass: 3rd position
- BOWINGS
- Detache, pizz.
- + Staccato, legato, marcato
- 2 note stepwise slurs, hooked
- Adjacent string crossings
- RHYTHMS
- Steady quarter notes
- + 8th notes
- + Dotted quarter notes in Grade 1½
- DURATION
- Up to 2 minutes
Grade 2 to 2 ½
- TEMPO
- + Adagio
- + Vivace
- METER
-
- KEYS
- 2 flats - 2 sharps
- Minimal low 1st/high 3rd finger
- Minimal low 4th finger
- 1 key change
- RANGE
- Violin 1: + 3rd position
- Cello: + extended and 4th position
- Bass: + ½ and 2nd position
- BOWINGS
- 4 note slurs
- Slurred string crossings
- Spiccato
- RHYTHMS
- Basic syncopation, quarter and 8th notes
- Pickups, triplets
- Easy 16th notes (groups of 4)
- Minimal meter changes
- DURATION
- 2 to 4 minutes
Grade 3 to 4
- TEMPO
- All tempo markings
- METER
-
- KEYS
- 3-4 flats - 3-4 sharps
- All fingerings
- Multiple key changes
- RANGE
- Violin 1: + 5th position and higher
- Violin 2/Viola: + 3rd position
- Cello: + 2nd to 5th position
- Bass: + 5th position
- BOWINGS
- Slurred staccato
- Long slurred runs
- Multiple down bows
- Ponticello and sul tasto
- RHYTHMS
- More complex rhythms
- Multiple 16th note combos
- Hemiola
- Multiple meter changes
- DURATION
- 3 to 7 minutes