For 2nd Grade Elementary School Students: Must-Play Pieces for Piano Recitals! Recommended Masterpieces & Famous Songs

He is the pirate.Klaus Badelt/Hans Zimmer

[Easy Piano for Everyone] “He’s a Pirate” / Disney film Pirates of the Caribbean – Sheet Music with Do-Re-Mi Notation, Beginner Piano

Composed by Klaus Badelt, this piece is known as the theme song for the film Pirates of the Caribbean.

Created in collaboration with Hans Zimmer, it features a valiant melody and a highly dynamic sound.

As energetic music that symbolizes the world of adventure and pirates, it leaves a powerful impression on listeners.

It’s captivating in the way it expresses the excitement of the film, the spirit of adventure, and the pirates’ free-spirited nature.

It’s also popular for piano recitals, with sheet music available for various levels.

A great recommendation for children who want to play a cool piece.

Six Pieces for Children (Christmas Album), Op. 72: No. 2 in E-flat major, Andante sostenuto, MWV U 170Felix Mendelssohn

Mendelssohn: 6 Kinderstücke Op. 72 [also known as „Christmas Pieces Op.72] – No. 2 Andante sostenuto

Composed as a gift for children at Christmas in 1842, Mendelssohn’s piano miniature is enveloped in a gentle, tender atmosphere.

Written in E-flat major, it features a delicate touch and refined harmonic progressions, and despite its brief length of 42 measures, it conveys a profound musicality.

Set at a relaxed Andante sostenuto tempo, its warmly expressive melody has a soothing charm.

Among the six pieces in this collection, it is particularly approachable, making it an ideal work for those just beginning piano study or for listeners interested in Romantic-era music.

severe thunderstormJohann Burgmüller

[Piano Recital Recommendation] The Thunderstorm ♫ Burgmüller / Orage, Burgmüller

This is a dramatic and cool piece included in Johann Burgmüller’s study collection 18 Characteristic Studies, Op.

109.

Like a single film, it brilliantly depicts the arrival of a violent storm, the rumbling thunder, and its quiet passing.

The thunder expressed through octave tremolos is powerful and highly effective in performance! It’s not only about building strength and excitement; the challenge lies in gradually softening the sound as if the storm is receding, which makes it very rewarding to practice.

It’s the perfect piece for elementary and middle school students who want to greatly enhance their expressive power with a story-like work.

If performed with rich emotion at a recital, it will draw every listener into its world.

Arabesque of WavesMiyoshi Akira

Akira Miyoshi: Arabesque of Waves / Shunya Yada (43rd Prizewinner Commemorative Concert, A1 Division [Gold Prize])

This is a work by Japanese composer Akira Miyoshi, featuring an elegant melody that evokes a shimmering water surface.

Included in the 1987 piano miniatures collection “Umi no Nikkichō” (A Sea Diary), the piece—true to its title, which refers to Arabic-style ornamental patterns—conjures scenes of delicate, unceasing motion in sound.

Its deft shifts between G-sharp minor and B major create sonorities that suggest a grown-up, bittersweet poignancy, like a fleeting shadow passing through brightness.

Also selected as a PTNA Competition set piece, it demands restrained pedaling and rich expressiveness, making it a guaranteed showpiece.

It is especially suited for elementary and middle school students who aspire to perform their dream piece with heartfelt expression.

Doll’s Dream and AwakeningTheodor Oesten

[Recommended for piano recitals] Dolls’ Dream and Awakening ♪ Oesten / Dolly’s Dreaming and Awakening, Oesten

Many people probably remember this as the “Your bath is ready!” melody from their water heater—a charmingly fairy-tale-like piece.

Included in the 1862 piano collection Kinderscenen, this work portrays a story that moves from “dream” to “awakening,” divided into four sections.

The progression from a gentle, tender dream world to a gradually more radiant awakening is full of variety and highly effective in performance—it’s sure to sound wonderful at a recital.

It’s perfect for elementary school children who are good at imagining stories, as well as middle schoolers who want to stretch themselves and try richer expression.

Try playing with expressive nuance while imagining your own doll’s story!

Piano Sonata K. 545, 1st MovementWolfgang Amadeus Mozart

36th Prizewinners’ Commemorative Concert / Rikuto Wakabayashi — Mozart: Piano Sonata K. 545, 1st movement

Among Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s piano works, this piece is especially famous.

Even those who aren’t well-versed in classical music might say, “I know this melody!” Composed in June 1788 with piano learners in mind, it captivates with its bright and light character.

However, despite its familiarity, playing it beautifully is by no means easy.

It’s filled with essential techniques, such as maintaining balance with the left-hand accompaniment while keeping the right-hand melody even and well-articulated.

Performing such a renowned piece at a recital is sure to boost your confidence—and the sense of accomplishment when you master it is exceptional.

Children’s Notebook (Seven Piano Pieces), A Pleasant Story, Op. 69-4Dmitry Shostakovich

[Grade B, Modern/Contemporary] Shostakovich: A Pleasant Story, Op. 69-4 (2024 PTNA Competition Required Piece) pf. Asuto Kitamura

Dmitri Shostakovich’s piano miniatures Notebook for Children, Op.

69, were lovingly composed for his beloved daughter.

The fourth piece is a playful, delightful number that feels as if a child is setting up a mischievous prank.

Set to a lively Allegro tempo, one whimsical melody after another appears, bringing a smile to the listener’s face.

If you play while imagining a story, expressive richness will come naturally.

It’s a perfect piece for children who want to let their individuality shine in competitions, or for those who’d like to discover the joy of expressing humor through music.