BELWIN PERFORMANCE MUSIC / SERIES GUIDELINES
SERIES GUIDELINES
VERY BEGINNING STRING ORCHESTRA Grade ½
Key Signatures: G, D Time Signatures: 3
4 4
4
String Instrumentation: Violin I, Violin II/Viola, Cello, String Bass, Opt. Piano
Ranges: Violin, Viola, Cello–no extensions; String Bass–1st position
Rhythm: „ Ó OE OEÂ Special Considerations: Limited slurring
BEGINNING STRING/FULL ORCHESTRA Grades 1–1½
Key Signatures: C, G, D Time Signatures: 4 2
4 3
4
4
String Instrumentation: Violin I, Violin II, Viola/Violin III, Cello, String Bass, Opt. Piano
Ranges: Violin, Viola, Cello–no extensions (except Violin Lo 1 on the E); String Bass–1st and 3rd
position (Fn on E String)
Wind Instrumentation: Flute; Oboe; Clarinet I, II; Bassoon/Bb Bass Clarinet; Opt. Eb Alto
Saxophone; Horn in F; Trumpet I, II; Trombone; Tuba; Mallet Percussion; Timpani; Percussion I, II;
Opt. Piano
Rhythm: „ Ó OE OEÂ Ó˘ OE˘ Special Considerations: Slurs and ties
INTERMEDIATE STRING/FULL ORCHESTRA Grades 2–2½
Key Signatures: C, G, D, A, F, Bb Time Signatures: 2
4 3
4 4
4 6
8 alla breve
String Instrumentation: Violin I, Violin II, Viola/Violin III, Cello, String Bass, Opt. Piano
Ranges: Violin, Viola, Cello–1st position with all extensions; String Bass—1st through 4th positions
Wind Instrumentation: Flute I, II; Oboe; Clarinet I, II; Bassoon/Bb Bass Clarinet; Opt. Eb Alto
Saxophone; Horn in F I, II; Trumpet I, II; Trombone I, II; Tuba; Mallet Percussion; Timpani;
Percussion I, II; Opt. Piano
Rhythm: „ Ó OE OEÂ Ó˘ OE˘ Ù Ù˘ OE ÇOE OE OEÍÂ
Special Considerations: Slurred and hooked bowings, double stops, syncopation
CONCERT STRING/FULL ORCHESTRA Grades 3–3½
Key Signatures: C, G, D, A, E, F, Bb, Eb, Ab Time Signatures: 2
4 3
4 4
4 5
4 6
8 alla breve
String Instrumentation: Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, String Bass, Opt. Piano
Ranges: All strings—1st through 5th positions
Wind Instrumentation: Flute I, II; Oboe I, II; Clarinet I, II; Bassoon I, II; Horn in F I, II, III, IV;
Trumpet I, II, III; Trombone I, II, III; Tuba; Mallet Percussion; Timpani; Percussion I, II; Opt. Piano
Rhythm: All rhythms
SYMPHONIC STRING ORCHESTRA Grade 4+
Key Signatures: As needed for content Time Signatures: As needed for content
String Instrumentation: As needed for content
Ranges: As needed for content
Wind Instrumentation: As needed for content Rhythms: As needed for content
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