Wonderful school festival / cultural festival

A Must-See for Middle and High Schoolers! Recommended Free-Choice Songs for Choir Competitions Catalog

POPS writer/editorKEI
Since discovering music during my school days, I’ve mainly listened to Japanese and Korean pop. I have experience writing articles for sites like Utaten. 2000s J-pop and 2010s K-pop were especially the soundtrack of my youth. With the mindset that “good is good,” I enjoy music across genres. Thanks to past work environments and their influence, I was exposed to lots of classic rock and kayōkyoku (Japanese popular songs), which may have broadened the scope of what I love. At RAG MUSIC, I currently focus on K-pop and J-pop. I strive to edit with a feel for the scene and an eye for hit potential.
Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

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 Pieces] Recommended for Junior High Students! A Collection of Moving Choral Works & Choral Arrangements (1–10)

Cherry blossom seasonNEW!Lyrics by: ATSUSHI / Music by: ATSUSHI, Tatsurou Mashiko

Cherry Blossom Season / EXILE ATSUSHI

Cherry blossom season NEW! Lyrics: ATSUSHI / Music: 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!

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Carrying YouNEW!sakushi: miyazaki hayao / sakkyoku: hishashi jō

Carrying You [Iwate University Choir]

Carrying YouNEW!sakushi: miyazaki hayao / sakkyoku: hishashi jō

This is a renowned song that graces the ending of Castle in the Sky, the first feature-length animated film produced by Studio Ghibli.

Released in August 1986 as the closing piece of a tie-in work, it left audiences with a profound afterglow.

It is also included on the album Castle in the Sky Soundtrack: The Mystery of the Levitation Stone, released the same month.

Based on notes written by Hayao Miyazaki, Joe Hisaishi, Isao Takahata, and others organized and completed the piece to fit the melody.

Its nostalgic tune and universal theme of setting out on a journey make it perfect for choral performance.

Even adults feel a deep poignancy when listening, and it’s an ideal song for uniting a class in song.

It’s a piece that junior high school students aiming for a polished performance should definitely try.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

In conclusion

From among many songs, we carefully selected the ones we truly recommend. Have you found a piece you’d like to sing with your class? If you choose your free-choice piece from the recommended choral songs we introduced, you can’t go wrong with your selection! Also, the pop songs featured in this article are ones frequently sung in choirs, so they strike a balance between offering a “slightly different vibe from standard choral pieces” and being easy to sing. We hope this helps your class succeed in your choral competition.