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Abstract
When the American Viola Society published its Underrepresented Composers Database in 2020, the need for a more detailed grading system became clear. While much of the standard viola repertoire of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries have been graded, many new pieces – especially those composed by underrepresented composers – has not. This project aims to solve that problem by providing a list of graded repertoire from the American Viola Society’s Underrepresented Composers Database. By creating a three-part rubric (left hand technique, right hand technique, and musical elements), I was able to sort four hundred works for viola into ten grade levels. Additionally, as part of this project, I recorded an album of music from the graded list that represents multiple grade levels and includes music that has not been previously recorded. This research can serve as a first step toward pedagogically organizing viola repertoire by underrepresented composers.