RCM violin levels explained for parents

The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) has violin exams from Preparatory to Level 10, and diplomas after that. Each exam has pieces, etudes, technical tests, ear tests, and sight reading. This page explains what each level asks for and what a parent has to arrange.

The facts come from the RCM Violin Syllabus, 2021 Edition. The syllabus is the rule book. Check it with the teacher before an exam.

The levels

Stage	Levels
Elementary	Preparatory and Levels 1 to 4
Intermediate	Levels 5 to 8
Advanced	Levels 9 and 10
Diploma	ARCT in Violin, Performer. ARCT in Violin, Pedagogy. Licentiate (LRCM) in Violin, Performer.

Violin has one Preparatory level. Piano has two. For the whole program, read RCM levels explained.

What each exam includes

Level	Pieces	Etudes	Orchestral excerpts	Pass mark
Preparatory	2	1	None	60
Level 1	2	1	None	60
Level 2	2	1	None	60
Level 3	3	2	None	60
Level 4	3	2	None	60
Level 5	3	2	None	60
Level 6	3	2	None	60
Level 7	3	1	1	60
Level 8	4	1	1	60
Level 9	4	1	2	60
Level 10	4	1	2	70

Every level also has technical tests, ear tests, and sight reading.

The syllabus chart for Level 8 lists two excerpts. RCM’s errata sheet corrects that to one.

The pieces

The pieces come from lists. The student plays one piece from each list. Preparatory to Level 2 have Lists A and B. Levels 3 to 7 have Lists A, B, and C. From Level 8, there are four lists.

RCM publishes the Violin Series, 2021 Edition, with a repertoire book for each level. Students may also use other editions of pieces named in the syllabus.

The etudes

An etude is a study piece that trains one skill, such as a bow stroke or a shift of the left hand. Composers on the etude lists include Wohlfahrt and Suzuki.

The technical tests

Technical tests are scales, arpeggios, and double stops, played from memory. A double stop is two strings played at once. The scales grow with the levels.

Level	Scales
Preparatory	D major and A major, one octave
Level 1	G major, two octaves. C major, A minor, and D minor, one octave.
Level 2	G major and A major, two octaves, with their minors. D major in third position.
Level 3	B-flat, C, and D major, two octaves. A chromatic scale. Second position.
Level 4	A-flat, B, and E major, two octaves. Fourth position. Dominant 7th and diminished 7th arpeggios.
Level 5	G major, three octaves. Chromatic scales, two octaves.
Level 6	Scales that start on G and A, three octaves
Levels 7 to 10	Three-octave scales. Double stops over two octaves from Level 8.

A position is a place for the left hand on the neck of the violin. A beginner plays in first position. Higher positions reach higher notes.

Orchestral excerpts

From Level 7, the student plays short passages from orchestra music. RCM publishes them in a separate book. The excerpts are worth 10 marks. A student cannot swap them for other music.

How the marks add up

Part of the exam	Preparatory to Level 2	Levels 3 to 6	Levels 7 to 10
Pieces	56	60	50
Etudes and technical tests	24	20	20
Orchestral excerpts	0	0	10
Ear tests	10	10	10
Sight reading	10	10	10
Total	100	100	100

For what the marks mean, read RCM exam marks explained.

Playing from memory

Up to Level 8, memory earns marks. The pieces carry 6 memory marks in total. In Levels 9 and 10, the student loses 1 mark for each piece played with the music. From Level 5, the List B piece does not have to be memorized. Technical tests are played from memory at every level.

The pianist

Most violin pieces have a piano part. The student brings the pianist. RCM does not supply one.

• From Preparatory to Level 4, the student may use a recorded piano part and brings the device to play it.
• From Level 5, a recording is not allowed. The student brings a live pianist.

Book the pianist early, and plan at least one rehearsal before exam day.

Theory exams

Written theory exams start at Level 5, as they do for piano.

Violin level	Written exams for the certificate
Levels 5 to 8	The theory exam of the same level
Level 9	Level 8 Theory, Level 9 Harmony, and Level 9 History
Level 10	The three for Level 9, plus Level 10 Harmony and Counterpoint and Level 10 History

Read RCM theory requirements by level.

Suzuki pieces on the RCM lists

Many Suzuki students take RCM exams. RCM publishes a table of Suzuki pieces that appear in its violin syllabus. Here are some of them.

RCM level	Suzuki pieces on the list
Preparatory	Go Tell Aunt Rhody, May Song, Song of the Wind, O Come, Little Children, Allegro
Level 1	Andantino, Allegretto, Minuet 1, The Happy Farmer, Chorus from Judas Maccabaeus
Level 2	Minuet 2, Minuet 3, Musette, Hunters’ Chorus, Bourrée
Level 3	Gavotte by Lully, Waltz by Brahms, Minuet in G by Beethoven, The Two Grenadiers
Level 5	Movements from the Seitz student concertos
Level 6	Vivaldi, Concerto in A Minor, first or third movement
Level 8	Bach, Concerto in A Minor, first movement

A Suzuki student still has to add etudes, technical tests, ear tests, and sight reading. Read Suzuki violin books 1 to 10. For the full lists, read Suzuki violin Book 1 songs in order and Suzuki violin Book 2 songs in order. For the next book, read Suzuki violin Book 3 songs in order.

What a parent arranges

• The registration. Sessions have deadlines months ahead. See RCM exam dates and deadlines.
• The pianist. Book one, or prepare the recording for Preparatory to Level 4.
• The right size of violin. Check the fit before a long stretch of exam practice. Use the violin size finder.
• The fee. See RCM exam fees.
• Daily ear and sight reading practice. Read RCM ear tests explained.

Sources

Checked in November 2026.

• The Royal Conservatory. Violin Syllabus, 2021 Edition.
• The Royal Conservatory. Violin Syllabus: 2021 Edition and errata.
• The Royal Conservatory. Suzuki repertoire and the RCM Violin Syllabus, 2021 Edition.
• The Royal Conservatory. Violin Syllabus, 2021 Edition: crossover plan.