Re: Difficulty Ratings


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Posted by Tim Murphy on November 24, 2003 at 21:28:38:

In Reply to: Difficulty Ratings posted by Mark Wiseman on November 24, 2003 at 20:14:17:

I am enrolled in a Wind Ensemble literature course here at Rutgers, and we discussed this quite a bit. Here is a breif description of the grade levels:

Grade 1-Elementary school. Very basic rhythm, very limited range (especially in brass and clarinet), parts are heavily doubled (essentially everyone plays almost the same rhythm).

Grade 2-advanced Elementary school/middle school. A bit harder than grade 2, we start seeing syncopation, the lines are a bit more independant (including the occasional solo), and the ranges are a bit more expanded, but not too much.

Grade 3-Advanced middle school/basic High School-A bit harder than grade 3. Lines are more indepenant, solos occur more frequently, metric changes and compound meter are more common, and range becomes less of an issue.

Grade 4-High School. Standard high school literature. Think the Holst Suites. The range isn't really a concern, the lines are far more independent, solos occur more readily, and in more exotic instruments.

Grade 5-Advanced High School/College-Harder than grade 4 music--very independant lines, complex rhythmic content, etc. Some high schools are capable of playing grade 5 music, but most (at least here in NJ) aren't. A lot of the most standard band pieces are found in grades 4 and 5 (Holst Suites already mentioned in grade 4, La Fiesta Mexicana in grade 5).

Grade 6-Good college/professional. Hard. Usually written for one player per part, and just more technically demanding than grade 5. Think of Lincolnshire Posy by Grainger and the Hindemith Symphony in Bb.

Hope this all helps,
Tim Murphy


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