[Piano Pieces for Young Children] Perfect for Recitals! A Curated Selection of Brilliant, Showy Favorites
A piano recital is a valuable opportunity to showcase the results of daily practice to friends and family!
Many children look forward to participating in recitals as they attend their piano lessons.
In this article, we’ve carefully selected brilliant pieces from the repertoire for young children that are perfect for recital performances.
Since recitals are special occasions, we also recommend trying pieces with a different feel from the ones in your usual textbooks, or even taking on slightly more challenging works.
If you’re a piano teacher or a parent struggling with repertoire selection, we hope you’ll find this helpful.
- [For 5-year-olds] A curated selection of recommended pieces for a piano recital!
- [For 6-year-olds] A curated selection of standout pieces for piano recitals!
- [For 4-year-olds] Recommended pieces for a piano recital!
- For Beginners: Easy to Play and Sounds Impressive! Pieces That Shine at Piano Recitals
- [Congratulations on Your Recital Debut] Recommended Pieces for Your First Piano Recital
- [For Elementary School Students] Brilliant, Showy Masterpieces That Sound Impressive at Piano Recitals
- [Beginner] Recommended Piano Pieces to Play at a Recital
- [Piano Recital] Recommended for Boys! A Curated Selection of Cool, Impressive, and Popular Pieces
- For Preschoolers to Elementary School Children: Challenging Piano Pieces — A Curated Selection from Competition Repertoire
- For 2nd Grade Elementary School Students: Must-Play Pieces for Piano Recitals! Recommended Masterpieces & Famous Songs
- [For Piano Recitals] Simple yet Cool Classical Pieces
- [For Beginners] Enjoy Parent-Child Piano Duets! Recommended Songs Introduced
- Disney Classics on Piano: A Curated Selection of Easy Pieces, Perfect for Recitals
[Piano Pieces for Young Children] Perfect for Recitals! A Curated Selection of Brilliant Recommended Works (1–10)
He is the pirate.Hans Zimmer／Klaus Badelt
Among insert songs from Disney works, the one many people think of as a “cool song” is He’s a Pirate, featured in the film Pirates of the Caribbean.
Play its bold, heroic melody on the piano and you’ll feel like a pirate ruling the open seas! The rhythmic patterns are a bit complex, but by simplifying them just enough not to spoil the atmosphere and adding player-friendly adjustments, even young children can perform it without strain.
The key is to power through with energy so the momentum isn’t lost by focusing too much on the rhythmic challenges!
Piano Pieces for Children “Children’s World,” No. 1: PromiseYuyama Akira
Yakusoku (Promise), the first piece in Akira Yuyama’s piano collection Kodomo no Sekai (The World of Children), by the composer known for numerous orchestral works, choral pieces, and piano works for children.
Though it is less than a minute long, this piece is packed with essential elements for piano study—such as contrasting staccato and legato, and balancing accompaniment with melody.
Of course, its charming and delightful character is another reason it’s perfect for children’s recitals.
Aim for an expressive performance that conveys a soft, gentle atmosphere through sound.
My Neighbor TotoroHisaishi Joe
Joe Hisaishi is a Japanese composer who has worked on Studio Ghibli films and created many famous pieces.
He’s an extremely popular composer known even to those not familiar with classical or piano music.
Among his works, a piece we recommend for preschool recital performances is “My Neighbor Totoro.” Its lively, cheerful feel is memorable, and because it moves along at a steady tempo, it’s easy to play even for children who have just started learning.
Moreover, while it’s accessible, it also helps students practice feeling the off-beat, making it a valuable experience for those aiming to step up their skills.
[Piano Pieces for Young Children] Perfect for Recitals! A Curated Selection of Brilliant Recommendations (11–20)
Anna Magdalena Bach’s Notebook, Volume II: Minuet in G major, BWV Anh. 116J.S.Bach
Known as the “Minuet in G major,” the “Minuet” from the second notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach is a piece that nearly every piano student plays at least once.
It had long been attributed to the Baroque master Johann Sebastian Bach, but recent research has revealed that it was actually composed by his contemporary Christian Petzold.
Still, regardless of who wrote it, it remains a valuable work that serves as an entry point to Baroque music.
Let’s express its courtly elegance with a beautiful tone!
magicianWilliam Gillock
“The Magician” by William Gillock, an American composer who wrote many pieces for children, is especially popular among kids who love upbeat, lively music! Its rhythmic right-hand melody layered over a steady, light left-hand accompaniment seems to portray the comical movements of a magician dazzling the audience with one mysterious trick after another.
If you play with the image of expressing excitement through sound, it will be easier to grasp the sense of rhythm.
The EntertainerScott Joplin
A famous piece by composer Scott Joplin, known for his style incorporating ragtime—a musical genre that was popular in America from the late 19th to early 20th century! Composed in 1902 as a ragtime work for piano, The Entertainer has been included in various arranged versions in piano textbooks for children.
While the original features abundant chords and octaves, there are many child-friendly arrangements that consist of a steady, beat-keeping left hand and a single-melody right hand.
It’s the perfect piece for energetic kids who love upbeat music!
Fairy’s HarpJohn Thompson
John Thompson, the American composer best known in Japan as the author of the widely used method series “John Thompson’s Modern Course for the Piano.” Included in Book 1 of this course is “The Fairy’s Harp,” a piece notable for its gentle, tranquil character.
Its continuous arpeggios, which suggest the sound of a harp, and the hand-crossing technique are elements you may not often encounter in your usual method books.
Precisely because a recital is a chance to perform for friends and family, it’s a great opportunity to take the plunge and give it a try!