[For 5-year-olds] A curated selection of recommended pieces for a piano recital!
Five-year-olds are starting to do more on their own and are becoming interested in reading and writing letters and numbers.
I usually teach piano and also work with children in the senior kindergarten class who are turning five.
They often get curious about the titles of different pieces, and after recitals they’ll share their impressions of their friends’ performances, saying things like, “〇〇-chan’s piece was so cool!”
This time, I’ve picked out pieces that are perfect for a five-year-old’s piano recital.
To match each child’s preferences, I’ll introduce a variety of recommended works with different moods—lively pieces, brilliant showpieces, and gentle, lyrical selections.
Please use these ideas as a reference for your next recital.
Playlist
| [For 5-year-olds] A curated selection of recommended pieces for a piano recital! | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| show_chart | Title | Playlist | Review |
| 1east | Ode to JoyLudwig van Beethoven |  play_arrow | The great composer, Ludwig van Beethov… |
| 2east | Minuet in G majorChristian Petzold |  play_arrow | A leading musician of Germany in the Baroque era... |
| 3east | Toy Cha-Cha-ChaKoshibe Nobuyoshi |  play_arrow | Mr. Nobuyoshi Koshibe, a shining star in the world of Japanese children's songs. His... |
| 4east | The EntertainerScott Joplin |  | Scott, known as the King of Ragtime music… |
| 5east | My Neighbor TotoroHisaishi Joe |  play_arrow | The masterpiece by director Hayao Miyazaki, scored by Joe Hisaishi, is a timeles… |
| 6east | Small WorldThe Sherman Brothers |  play_arrow | Popular as a piece for piano recitals, “Little World…” |
| 7east | The Skaters’ WaltzÉmile Waldteufel |  play_arrow | Called the 'Johann Strauss of France'... |
| 8east | I Stepped on the CatSakkyokusha fushō |  play_arrow | Loved around the world, no matter the era... |
| 9east | paprikaFoorin |  play_arrow | Children produced by Kenshi Yonezu... |
| 10east | glass slipperWilliam Gillock |  play_arrow | So renowned in the field of music education that he is called the Schubert of the music education world, … |
| 11east | Carrying YouHisaishi Joe |  play_arrow | Having been in charge of the music for Ghibli works for many years… |
| 12east | Mickey Mouse MarchJimmie Dodd |  play_arrow | This song is extremely popular with children! American chil... |
| 13east | A Small SongCornelius Gurlitt |  play_arrow | The piece Little Song, which is also popular at piano recitals... |
| 14east | Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Starfuransu min’yō |  play_arrow | In various piano texts for children... |
| 15east | Grandfather’s ClockHenry Clay Work |  play_arrow | An American popular song, and in Japan… |
| 16east | strollJoe Hisaishi |  play_arrow | The animated film “My Neighbor Totoro,” released in 1988, … |
| 17east | Birthday MarchLouis Köhler |  play_arrow | Included in many children's piano scores... |
| 18east | He is the pirate.Klaus Badelt/Hans Zimmer |  play_arrow | Klaus Badelt was born in 1967... |
| 19east | Fairy’s HarpJohn S Thompson |  play_arrow | A composer who built modern American music... |
| 20east | Piano Pieces for Children ‘Rhythm of the Rainbow’ 1. The Dandelion Took FlightHirayoshi Takeshu |  play_arrow | Focusing mainly on choral pieces and solo works for children, i... |
| 21east | Waltz of Hansel and GretelTamaru Nobuaki |  play_arrow | A Waltz of Grimm Fairy Tales, for children. |
| 22east | castanetWilliam Gillock |  play_arrow | The Am… by American composer William Gillock |
| 23east | Waltz of the FlowersPyotr Tchaikovsky |  | When it comes to the ballet music The Nutcracker, well-known… |
| 24east | AllegrettoCornelius Gurlitt |  play_arrow | Cornelius Gürlitt, a German composer... |
| 25east | Holiday in ParisWilliam Gillock |  play_arrow | In the world of classical music, the 'child composer’s si... |
| 26east | Burgmüller 25 Etudes, Op. 100 No. 1 “La candeur” (A Candid Heart)Johann Burgmüller |  play_arrow | The renowned piano studies of Johann Burgmüller… |
| 27east | Midnight OwlWilliam Gillock |  play_arrow | Tales of a Mysterious Forest, composed by Gillock |
| 28east | March of the DwarfsMartha Mier |  play_arrow | American female composer Martha Mier compo… |
| 29east | Wiener MarchCarl Czerny |  play_arrow | Charming piano pieces of Austria |
| 30east | Indian danceWilliam Gillock |  play_arrow | Powerful music with Indigenous rhythms, brimming with dynamism |
| 31east | Dance and SongNakata Yoshinao |  play_arrow | A lively piano piece depicting a summer night |
| 32east | Hansel and GretelDoitsu min’yō |  play_arrow | A German-themed adventure story about a brother and sister who get lost in the forest… |
| 33east | Children’s Music Concert, Op. 210: No. 15 “Little Romance”Cornelius Gurlitt |  play_arrow | A cute sound as if flowing from a music box... |
| 34east | Happy WitchJane Bastien |  play_arrow | The American-born composer Jane Bastin... |
| 35east | Chase the mysteryJuhara Ryoko |  play_arrow | A thrilling musical work with a sense of storytelling |
| 36east | Boys’ Merry-Go-RoundNiels Wilhelm Gade |  play_arrow | A lively and beautiful piano piece for children |
| 37east | Come, let’s dance the waltz.William Gillock |  play_arrow | It has a song structure that doesn’t require technique, and... |
| 38east | Dance of the SwineherdBartók Béla |  play_arrow | An enchanting piece of Hungarian folk dance music |
| 39east | scramble crossinghashimoto kouichi |  play_arrow | A dynamic piece that expresses the hustle and bustle of the city through irregular time signatures |
| 40east | Brave SoldierCornelius Gurlitt |  play_arrow | A powerful march that stirs a boy’s heart |
| 41east | speed carNakata Yoshinao |  play_arrow | Piano practice pieces that help you learn a sense of rhythm and expressiveness |
| 42east | Something good might happen!Yuyama Akira |  play_arrow | A piano piece that fuses classical and jazz |
| 43east | pirateRoger Grove |  play_arrow | An up-tempo book with a pirate adventure theme… |
| 44east | Burgmüller 25 Études Op. 100 No. 11 “The Wagtail”Johann Burgmüller |  play_arrow | A light, bird-like piece in 2/4 time |
| 45east | Brave Rider from ‘Album for Children’Robert Schumann |  play_arrow | A short masterpiece that expresses the image of a knight |
| 46east | Carnival BallWilliam Gillock |  play_arrow | A passionate piece with the charm of samba rhythm |
| 47east | Third movement from Sonatina, Op. 36 No. 1Muzio Clementi |  play_arrow | Lively three movements, virtuosic and captivating |
| 48east | Howl’s Moving Castle ‘Merry-Go-Round of Life’Hisaishi Joe |  play_arrow | The theme song of Howl’s Moving Castle is captivating. |
| 49east | Minuet in G major, K. 1 (K6 1e), from the Nannerl NotebookWolfgang Amadeus Mozart |  play_arrow | Beautiful Minuet by 5-Year-Old Mozart |
| 50east | Babayaga Op. 39-20Pyotr Tchaikovsky |  play_arrow | A famous piece for children that depicts a witch's tale through music |
| 51east | Habanera on a Summer NightHirayoshi Takeshu |  play_arrow | A piece with Cuban rhythms and graceful melodies |
| 52east | Sonatina in F major, First MovementAnton Diabelli |  play_arrow | A masterpiece with an elegant, radiant melody |
| 53east | Stilienne – Burgmüller 25 Études, Op. 100 No. 14Johann Burgmüller |  play_arrow | A triple-meter piece inspired by traditional Alpine dance music |
| 54east | Impromptu of the WindNakata Yoshinao |  play_arrow | A melody like a refreshing, free wind |
| 55east | Children’s Album, Volume 1: “Album of My Boyhood,” No. 5: EtudeAram Khachaturian |  play_arrow | A short piece of ethnic music for children with an impressive staccato feel |
| 56east | Serenade of the BuglerFritz Spindler |  play_arrow | A song with a bright melody that lifts your spirits |
| 57east | Children’s Album, Volume 1, “Picture Book of Boyhood”: No. 7, Hobbyhorse (Cavalry)Aram Khachaturian |  play_arrow | A piano miniature depicting children's play |