A Must-See for Middle and High Schoolers! Recommended Free-Choice Songs for Choir Competitions Catalog
The choir competitions held at schools every year.
Many junior and senior high school students look forward to working together as one class, don’t they? Still, the big headache is choosing the repertoire.
It’s often said that, especially in choir competitions, the choice of the free piece can greatly affect the results.
That’s why there are many points to consider, such as “a piece that won’t overlap with other classes” or “a song that’s topical yet can be polished to a high level.” In this article, we’ll introduce recommended pieces for junior and senior high school choirs.
We’ve picked not only the classics but also rarer choices for choir, like Western pop and Vocaloid songs, so you can find the perfect piece for your class.
- [Choral Music] Recommended for Middle Schoolers! A Collection of Moving Choral Works & Choral Arrangements
- Ranking of Popular Choral Songs [2026]
- [For Junior High School Chorus] A Curated Selection of Challenging Popular Works and Classic Songs
- [Choral Songs] Recommended for High School Students! A Comprehensive Showcase from Classics to the Newest J‑Pop
- [Choral Songs] Recommended for cultural and school festivals! Classic choir pieces & the latest popular songs
- [2026] Let's Sing at the Chorus Competition! A Roundup of Recommended Western Songs
- [Middle School Students] Popular Songs Ranking by Generation [2026]
- [For Women’s Choir] A Curated Selection of Moving Recommended Works & Female-Voice Choir Arrangements [2026]
- [Choral Songs You Can Sing in English] Recommended English Songs for Choirs [2026]
- [Elementary School Chorus Songs] A comprehensive showcase from moving masterpieces to the latest hit tunes!
- Upbeat Choral Pieces: A Curated Selection of Energetic Works Perfect for Choir Competitions and School Events!
- [High School Students] Popular Songs Ranking by Generation [2026]
- [Choral Piece] Difficult but cool! A work that overwhelms its listeners
Recommended choral pieces for high school students (1–10)
Planet SozoroNEW!Sakushi: Nogi Akiko / Sakkyoku: Nada Ayako
This choral piece, themed around the “sky,” portrays both a cosmic vastness and a trembling of the heart.
The lyrics are by Akiko Nogi, a screenwriter known for weaving many stories, and the music is composed by Ayako Nada, active in the field of music education.
Official sheet music for the work was released in April 2025, and it was created as the set piece for the high school division of the 92nd NHK National School Music Competition.
Under the wide sky that belongs to no one, the piece conveys a grand sense of scale, as if connecting with people all over the world.
It is crafted to let singers savor the essence of choral music without being overly difficult.
By feeling connections with others from a broad perspective and blending their voices with their peers, high school students can draw out their most passionate emotions as they grow into adulthood.
The sky is nowNEW!sakushi sakkyoku: Yamazaki Tomoko
This work, with lyrics and music by Tomoko Yamazaki, is a choral piece that has continued to be sung in schools since the release of its song collections and CDs for equal voices and mixed voices in August 2018.
Characteristic of Yamazaki’s background as a junior high school teacher, it features down-to-earth lyrics and a naturally flowing melody that have resonated with many students.
This piece is a message song that overlays images of landscapes such as sky and wind to question the meaning of living in the present amid changing times.
It is a work we especially hope high school students will take on—raising their voices together with classmates to sing of the days they’ve lived so far and their hopes for the future.
far; distant; by farNEW!GReeeeN
A song chosen as the theme for the film “ROOKIES: Graduation,” it is the first ballad GReeeeN ever attempted.
Released as a single in 2009, its lyrical lyrics—expressing gratitude to parents and the emotions felt at the moment of becoming independent—are deeply moving.
Beginning with a quiet piano and gradually building as more instruments join, its structure is highly dramatic, making it excellent as a choral piece as well.
The down-to-earth message—clashing with parents during school days but eventually recognizing their love—makes it perfect for performances at cultural and school festivals.
It’s a heartwarming masterpiece that we hope will be sung by those starting their journey toward independence, such as high school and junior high students.
Kaiju no Hanabuta (Monster’s Flower Song)NEW!Vaundy
Singer-songwriter Vaundy, whose diverse talents have earned strong support from his generation.
Released digitally in May 2020 and included on his first album “strobo,” this track was featured in the commercial for Maruha Nichiro’s frozen food “WILDish.” Its appeal lies in a fast-paced band sound and a pop melody that gives you a push toward the future.
The chorus includes phrases that invite call-and-response, making it a beloved anthem that brings everyone together when sung as one.
Boasting overwhelming popularity—surpassing 500 million streams in October 2023—this song is perfect for cultural or school festivals when you want the whole class or the entire student body to unite and get fired up.
CorrectRADWIMPS
A song produced for “RADWIMPS 18-sai Matsuri 2018,” broadcast on NHK in 2018.
In this program, RADWIMPS performed a choral piece together with 1,000 18-year-olds.
Eighteen—on the verge of adulthood, yet still a kid.
Alongside the fun of everyday life come anxieties about the future and a frustration you can’t even explain yourself…
It’s a perfect song for high schoolers, expressing the desire to find your own answer amid all of that.
Cherry blossom seasonNEW!Lyrics by: ATSUSHI / Music by: ATSUSHI, Tatsurou Mashiko
A heartwarming number composed by ATSUSHI and Tatsurou Mashiko that captures the bittersweet feelings of reaching the milestone of graduation.
It was first included on the album “Love Ballade,” released in December 2014, and was re-released as a memorial single in February 2015.
With the background of having been newly written as the set piece for the Middle School Division of the 81st NHK National School Music Competition, it’s packed with elements that are perfect for a middle school choir.
As you picture concrete scenes from school life, this piece gives you a gentle push to take your next step.
Combining the familiarity of J-POP with the grandeur of choral music, it’s also highly recommended for singing in graduation ceremony settings!
Choral pieces of Western music (11–20)
If you don’t want to overlap with other classes, I recommend Western music!
When choosing a free-selection piece for a chorus competition, most people pick songs they sang in music class or standard choral pieces. But that often leads to “We’re overlapping with another class!!” In that case, choosing a song from Western pop is highly recommended! There are plenty of grand and beautiful pieces that are perfect for choral singing, so please use them as a reference. However, singing English lyrics requires lots of practice! Related article:[2026] Let's Sing at the Chorus Competition! A Roundup of Recommended Western Songs
Choral songs in Western music (1–10)
OrdinaryNEW!Alex Warren
Having stepped from social media into the world of music, Alex Warren has become an artist who moves the hearts of many.
Released in February 2025, “Ordinary” is inspired by the deep bond with his wife and centers on the theme of extraordinary love found in everyday life.
Set to a pop melody, the song celebrates a miraculous relationship that never fades, even as the world changes.
Its sincere, warm message embraces listeners and rekindles a sense of gratitude.
It’s a perfect piece to sing at a choir competition while feeling the precious bonds with your friends.
Be sure to let your class fill the room with beautiful harmony.