Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

[Sports Day BGM] A selection of classic tunes that liven up the venue

Representative, Elysion Philharmonic Orchestrasai-kisaragi
Heisei College of Music, Composition Course. Studied composition and conducting under Keizo Ideta, piano under Chinami Kira, and arts management under Takuma Konishi. With a focus on community and music, I work to revitalize my hometown of Saga Prefecture. While performing as a double bassist with wind ensembles and orchestras across Kyushu, I participated on double bass in the “Orchestra Without Borders” orchestra camp of the professional game and anime music ensemble Eminence Orchestra, held in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture in September 2012. During CAPCOM’s Kyushu Tour in 2016, I not only performed as an orchestra member but also served on the production staff. I currently serve as the managing representative for the game and anime performance groups Elysion Philharmonic Orchestra (Saga Prefecture) and Fukuoka Game Music Wind Orchestra (Fukuoka Prefecture), and handle conducting, arranging, and public relations.
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.

Many famous classical pieces are used as background music at sports days, but there are probably quite a few tunes that you can hum the melody to even if you don’t know the title.

In this article, we’ll introduce a curated selection of recommended classical pieces for anyone looking for music to play at a sports day event.

From that song that makes you want to start running to the perfect march for a parade, we’ve covered all the classics—use this as a reference.

Try listening while imagining which scene each piece would suit.

[Sports Day BGM] A selection of classic standard pieces to liven up the venue (11–20)

Young powerShinichi Takada

“Young Power” (National Sports Festival Song) — Japan Air Self-Defense Force Central Band, Concert at the 2018 Gunma Prefecture Encouragement Rally for Prospective SDF Enlistees and Trainees

Young power Takada Shinichi

This is a classic sports day staple that everyone in Japan knows, created during the postwar reconstruction period.

Composed by Shinichi Takata as a sports song to enliven the National Sports Festival venues, it is notable for its bright and powerful melody.

At the second National Sports Festival held in Kanazawa in October 1947, about 4,200 sixth-grade boys and girls performed a group routine to this piece, captivating the audience.

Since then, it has been widely loved as background music for school sports days and athletic festivals across the country.

With an up-tempo beat that makes you want to run, it was also used at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Koshien High School Baseball Exchange Games.

Highly recommended if you’re looking for a march for sports days or a lively piece for group performances.

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El CapitanJohn Philip Sousa

El Capitan / J.P. Sousa

El CapitanJohn Philip Sousa

This is a bold marching piece with a dazzling, buoyant melody that is highly appealing.

Originating from an operetta, it evokes a grand atmosphere that conveys the courage and determination of the protagonist, leader of a rebel army.

Premiered in 1896, it remains one of John Philip Sousa’s most popular works and is beloved as a staple for wind ensembles and military bands.

It also drew attention in Japan, having been selected as the required piece for the workplace division at the 4th All-Japan Band Competition in 1956.

It is perfect for scenes that call for a solemn ambiance, such as entrance marches at sports festivals or award ceremonies.

Combining strength and elegance, this work offers a bracing, uplifting experience that makes listeners sit up straight.

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Sword DanceAram Khachaturian

Khachaturian: Sabre Dance / Ozawa · Berliner Philharmoniker

Sword DanceAram Khachaturian

The lively xylophone runs of “Sabre Dance” are from the final act of the ballet suite Gayane by the Russian composer Aram Khachaturian.

It is said to depict a battle dance performed by Kurds using sabres.

The piece is also known for its short duration of about two minutes.

At sports festivals, it’s a great choice for events like individual footraces, bread-biting contests, and obstacle courses, as well as timed ball-toss games, where participants can keep tossing in time with the music’s rhythm.

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In a Persian marketAlbert William Ketèlbey

In a Persian Market – Ketèlbey [Famous Piece · Classical Music]

In a Persian marketAlbert William Ketèlbey

This piece features music and scene painting rich with exotic flair.

From the caravan’s arrival and a beggar’s plea to the entrance of a beautiful princess and the call to prayer, it unfolds like a grand orchestral story.

The bustling marketplace, depicted through exotic melodies and rhythms, and the princess’s elegant theme carried by clarinet and cello, brim with musicality that sparks the listener’s imagination.

Composed by Albert William Ketèlbey and released in 1920, it became a major hit, selling over one million copies of sheet music by the end of the 1920s.

In actual school sports festivals, it has been used for opening ceremonies and entrance marches, and is loved for lifting participants’ spirits.

Its brilliant, energetic atmosphere makes it a recommended choice for anyone looking to enliven a sporting event.

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Tokyo Olympic MarchKoseki Yūji

Tokyo Olympic March with Fanfare, 1964

Tokyo Olympic MarchKoseki Yūji

In October 1964, when a stately march resounded through the National Stadium, the piece composed by Yuji Koseki became a pivotal work that colored the first Olympic Games ever held in Asia.

Its elegant yet powerful brass sound and vibrant rhythm not only enlivened the athletes’ entrance but also stood as a symbol to the world of Japan’s postwar recovery.

Brimming with brightness and splendor befitting a festival of peace and youth, the work offers a melody of hope that only a composer who had lived through war could express.

It is truly a piece you’d want to use for a sports day opening ceremony or entrance parade—an elevated, dignified march perfect for highlighting children’s big moment on stage.

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