Orchestra Grading & Song Submission Guidelines

A PDF version of the grading a guidelines table is available here for download.

Grade .5 Debut Strings (DS)
Beginning

KEYS
D Major, b minor, D & A strings only

METER
4/4 preferred

TEMPO
Moderate

RHYTHMS
Quarter notes, two repeated Eighth notes

BOWINGS
Natural bowings, Detache

RANGE
First position

DURATION
Up to 1:30 minutes

INSTRUMENTATION
Violin 2 & Viola double
Cello & Bass double
Piano optional

CONSIDERATIONS
Fingerings indicated when helpful

Grade 1-1.5 Premiere Strings (PS)
Elementary School

KEYS
C, G, D & Relative minors

METER
2/4, 3/4, 4/4

TEMPO
Andante, Moderato, Allegro

RHYTHMS
Whole, Half Quarter, Eighths, Dotted Quarter in Grade 1.5

BOWINGS
Natural bowings, Detache, Pizzicato, Staccato, Legato, Marcato, Open String, Double-Stops

RANGE
First position
Bass third position
Low 2nd finger in Grade 1.5

DURATION
Up to 2 minutes

INSTRUMENTATION
Cello & Bass double in Grade 1
Percussion / piano optional

CONSIDERATIONS
Fingerings indicated when helpful

Grade 2-2.5 Stellar Strings (SS)
Middle School

KEYS
C, G, D, A, F, Bb & Relative minors

METER
2/4, 3/4, 4/4, Simple cut time, 6/8

TEMPO
Andante, Moderato, Allegro, Adagio, Vivace

RHYTHMS
Previous rhythms plus Sixteenths, Triplets, Syncopation

BOWINGS
Detache, Pizzicato, Staccato, Legato, Marcato, Slurs, Hooked, String Crossings

RANGE
Primarily first pos. (Cello 1st pos. plus extensions, Bass 1/2 pos., Violin 1 3rd pos.)

DURATION
2 to 4 minutes

INSTRUMENTATION
All parts independent
Percussion / piano optional

CONSIDERATIONS
Fingerings and shifts indicated when helpful

Grade 3-3.5 Expert Strings (ES)
High School

KEYS
C, G, D, A, F, Bb, Eb & Relative minors

METER
2/4, 3/4, 4/4, Simple cut time, 6/8

TEMPO
All tempo markings

RHYTHMS
Previous rhythms plus Sixteenths, Triplets, Syncopation

BOWINGS
Previous bowings plus Spiccato, Fournote Slurs

RANGE
Violin 1 up to 5th
Violin 2 / Viola up to 3rd
Cello add 4th
Bass add 5th

DURATION
3 to 7 minutes

INSTRUMENTATION
All parts independent
Percussion / piano optional

CONSIDERATIONS
Fingerings and shifts indicated when helpful

Grade 4-5 Professional Strings (PRO)
Advanced High School, College, & Professional

KEYS
All keys

METER
All meters

TEMPO
All tempo markings

RHYTHMS
All rhythms

BOWINGS
All bowings

RANGE
All positions

DURATION
As desired

INSTRUMENTATION
All parts independent
Percussion / piano optional