Dr. Suzuki began the Suzuki Graduation Program in Japan many years ago. The purpose of Suzuki “level graduation” is to encourage students and teachers to continue raising their standards, polishing and reviewing repertoire, and celebrating important musical milestones. Unlike a “completed a book” graduation, the recording process itself is transformative, offering students a unique opportunity for self-evaluation and growth in both confidence and musicianship.
To graduate from a level, a student must be studying at the required current level and, with their teacher’s recommendation, submit an audio recording of the required pieces for their instrument.
Application Deadline: Thursday, October 30, 2025
(late applications will be accepted until March 23, 2026) Recording Deadline: Monday, March 23, 2026
Concert and Reception: Saturday, May 2, 2026
Click HERE to view the program (printable)
Time: 12:00-1:30pm – student rehearsal
1:30pm – break
2:00pm – concert, reception immediately following
Location: Chapelwood United Methodist Church
11140 Greenbay St, Houston, TX 77024
Click HERE for a map with parking location
Eligibility: Student’s teacher must be an active teacher member of STXSA
Fee: $85 per student
- Eligibility: Open to students of all ages, including adults. The student’s teacher must be a current STXSA Teacher Member.
- Late applications will be accepted for students who reach a graduation level after the application deadline or decide to record later; however, recordings submitted after the recording deadline will not be accepted.
- All recordings must be approved in full by the student’s teacher before submission.
- Each recording will be evaluated by one clinician, and each student will receive a written comment form. Students will pass if they have reached the required level, recorded the required pieces, received teacher approval, and submitted recordings by the deadline.
- Students may complete more than one graduation level at a time at no additional fee. Students entering the graduation process above Level One may submit recordings for that level and all previous levels.
- Level One is the only level requiring all Book 1 pieces to be recorded. Levels Two and above require only one piece per level. The Twinkle Level requires all Twinkle Variations and the Theme. Students beginning with Level One do not need to record the Twinkles twice.
- Twinkle and Levels One and Two are interchangeable for violin and viola. Students who completed Violin Level One and later changed to viola during the graduation process must submit recordings of French Folk Song and Bohemian Folk Song with their Level Two or Level Three recording.
- For in-person concerts, students will perform all required graduation pieces for their level as a group and must attend rehearsal to participate. Concert attire is typically formal black and/or white.
- For online concerts, students will perform required graduation pieces as solos in addition to Twinkles. Level One graduates will perform selected Book 1 piece(s), chosen by the Graduation Team Leader in consultation with the student’s teacher.
- Each student will receive a graduation certificate and keepsake award.
- All recordings must be approved in their entirety by the student’s teacher before submission.
- All violin, viola, cello, bass, and flute recordings must include accompaniment. Suzuki piano accompaniment tracks or a harmony part played by another melody instrument may substitute for a live accompanist. Pieces originally written without accompaniment may be recorded unaccompanied.
- All pieces must be memorized and recorded in full, including variations and repeats. Please number tracks in Suzuki repertoire order.
- Only audio recordings will be accepted. Recordings must be uploaded to a file-sharing or video-sharing site (Google Drive, Dropbox, YouTube, Vimeo, etc.). If using YouTube or Vimeo, videos must show only a blank wall or black backdrop, with the performer out of view.
- Tip: The “voice memos” app on smart phones/ipads/tablets is a good way to make an audio recording that is easily shareable.
- After teacher approval, email recording links to [email protected] with the subject line: “Graduation Recording for” student name, instrument, and graduation level(s).
Graduation | Current level of | Recording requirement |
Twinkle | Completed Book 1 | All Twinkle Variations and the Theme |
Level I | Completed Book 2 | All pieces in Book 1 |
Level II | Completed Book 4 | Bach Bourree (Book 3) |
Level III | Completed Book 5 | Vivaldi A Minor Concerto, 1st movement (Book 4) |
Level IV | Completed Book 6 | Vivaldi G Minor Concerto, 1st movement (Book 5) |
Level V | Completed Book 7 | Corelli La Folia (Book 6) |
Level VI | Completed Book 8 | Bach A Minor Concerto, all movements (Book 7) |
Level VII | Completed Book 10 | Mozart D Major Concerto, all movements (Book 9) |
Level VIII | Beyond Book 10 | Mozart-Kreisler Rondo and Paradis Sicilienne |
Level IX | Beyond Book 10 | Vitali Chaconne |
Level X | Beyond Book 10 | Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, 1st movement |
| Graduation Level | Current level of study | Recording requirement |
|
Twinkle |
Completed Book 1 |
All Twinkle Variations and the Theme |
|
Level I |
Completed Book 2 |
All pieces in Book 1 |
|
Level II |
Completed Book 4 |
Bach Bourree (Book 3) |
|
Level III |
Completed Book 5 |
Telemann Concerto, 2nd movement (Book 4) |
|
Level IV |
Completed Book 6 |
Bach Suite I in G Major for Unaccompanied Viola, Prelude (Book 5) |
|
Level V |
Completed Book 7 |
Marais La Folia (Book 6) |
|
Level VI |
Completed Book 8 |
J. C. Bach/Casadesus Concerto in C Minor, all three movements (Books 6 & 7) |
|
Level VII |
Completed Book 9 |
Bruch Romance (Book 8) |
|
Level VIII |
Beyond Book 9 |
Schubert Sonata in A Minor, D 821, all movements (Book 9) |
|
Level IX |
Beyond Book 9 |
Bach Suite for Unaccompanied Viola, all movements (Choice of Suite No. II, III, IV, V, VI) |
|
Level X |
Beyond Book 9 |
Walton Viola Concerto, 1st movement |
| Graduation Level | Current level of study | Recording requirement |
|
Twinkle |
Completed Book 1 |
All Twinkle Variations and the Theme |
|
Level I |
Completed Book 2 |
All pieces in Book 1 |
|
Level II |
Completed Book 4 |
Beethoven Minuet in G (Book 3) |
|
Level III |
Completed Book 5 |
Breval Sonata in C, 1st movement (Book 4) |
|
Level IV |
Completed Book 6 |
Vivaldi E Minor Sonata Op. 14, 1st & 2nd movements (Book 5) |
|
Level V |
Completed Book 7 |
Saint-Saëns The Swan (Book 6) |
|
Level VI |
Completed Book 8 |
Eccles Sonata, 1st & 2nd movements (Book 7) |
|
Level VII |
Completed Book 9 |
Sammartini Sonata, all movements (Book 8) |
|
Level VIII |
Completed Book 10 |
Haydn Concerto in C Major, 3rd movement (Book 9) |
|
Level IX |
Beyond Book 10 |
Boccherini Concerto in B-flat Major, all movements (Book 10) |
|
Level X |
Beyond Book 10 |
Choice of first movement of the Elgar Concerto or Saint-Saëns Concerto no. 1 in A Minor or Lalo Concerto in D Minor |
Bass recording requirements are currently being updated. Please contact STXSA for additional information.
| Graduation Level | Current level of study | Recording requirement |
Twinkle | Completed Book 1 | All Twinkle Variations and the Theme |
Level I | Completed Book 2 | All pieces in Book 1 |
Level II | Completed Book 3 | Calatayud, Waltz (Book 2) |
Level III | Completed Book 4 | Ayala, Celeste y Blanco (Book 3) |
Level IV | Completed Book 5 | de Vidali arr. Longay, La Folia Variations (Book 4) |
Level V | Completed Book 6 | Giuliani, Allegro Vivace, Op. 111 (Book 5) |
Level VI | Completed Book 7 | Bach, Bouree BWV 996 (Book 6) |
Level VII | Completed Book 8 | Guimaraes, Sounds of Bells (Book 7) |
Level VIII | Completed Book 9 | Bach, Prelude from Suite in D Major BWV 1007 (Book 8) |
Level IX | Beyond Book 9 | Albeniz, Asturias (Leyenda) from Suite Española No. 1, Op. 47 |
Level X | Beyond Book 9 | please contact STXSA for more information |
Flute recording requirements are currently being updated. Please contact STXSA for additional information.
Harp recording requirements are currently being updated. Please contact STXSA for additional information.
| Graduation Level | Current level of study | Recording requirement |
Twinkle | Completed Book 1 | All Twinkle Variations and the Theme |
Level I | Completed Book 2 | All pieces in Book 1 |
Level II | Completed Book 3 | Bach Minuet No. 2 (Book 2) |
Level III | Completed Book 4 | Clementi Sonatina Op. 36, No. 3, 1st movement (Book 3) |
Level IV | Completed Book 5 | Bach Minuets I and II and Gigue from Partita in B-Flat Major BWV 825 (Book 4) |
Level V | Completed Book 6 | Mozart Sonata KV 545, 1st movement (Book 6) |
Level VI | Completed Book 7 | Mozart Sonata KV 331, all movements (Book 7) |
Level VII | Beyond Book 7 | Bach Italian Concerto, all movements |
Level VIII | Beyond Book 7 | Contact STXSA for more information |
Level IX | Beyond Book 7 | Contact STXSA for more information |
Level X | Beyond Book 7 | Contact STXSA for more information |
Please contact STXSA for Graduation Requirements for voice, organ, clarinet, recorder, euphonium, French horn, trombone, trumpet, and tuba.
Watch past graduation concerts on the STXSA YouTube channel
