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

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.

Playlist

[Sports Day BGM] A selection of classic tunes that liven up the venue
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	William Tell OvertureGioachino Rossini		Rossini’s overture is used at sports days.
2	Csikos PostHermann Necke		The famous piece by Hermann Necke often played at sports festivals
3	Heaven and HellJacques Offenbach		Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, famous at school sports festivals
4	March “Beyond the K-Point”Takahashi Shinya		The appeal of brass band marches that liven up sports days
5	Galop of the ClownsDmitri Kabalevsky		About Kabalevsky's suite The Comedians
6	The EntertainerScott Joplin		Bright and dynamic jazz piano piece
7	Colonel BogeyKenneth Joseph Alford		A British composer's march is a staple at sports days.
8	Sports MarchMayuzumi Toshirō		A march composed by Toshiro Mayuzumi that’s a staple of sports broadcasts
9	Baroque HoedownJean Jacques Perrey		Electronic music from a Moog synthesizer is the theme song of a Disney parade
10	Symphony No. 5 “Revolution,” Fourth MovementDmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich		Mood boost with Shostakovich’s symphonies
11	Young powerShinichi Takada		A classic sports day song with a bright, powerful melody
12	El CapitanJohn Philip Sousa		A staple of wind bands: Sousa’s dazzling march
13	Sword DanceAram Khachaturian		Sabre Dance by Khachaturian
14	In a Persian marketAlbert William Ketèlbey		A grand orchestral work with exotic flair
15	Tokyo Olympic MarchKoseki Yūji		A song of hope for the 1964 Olympics
16	Symphony No. 9 “From the New World,” Fourth MovementAntonín Leopold Dvořák		Dvořák’s famous piece is popular at sports festivals.
17	L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2: FarandoleGeorges Bizet		A splendid festive dance piece originating from Provence
18	Trumpet VoluntaryJeremiah Clark		Celebrate brilliantly with a trumpet festival piece
19	Music Collection for Sports Day: Go Go GoZama Yoshihiro		A collection of powerful songs perfect for sports day
20	old friendCarl Teike		The perfect march for entering the closing ceremony of a sports day
21	The Star-Spangled Banner ForeverJohn Philip Sousa		Sousa’s famous march
22	Funiculi FuniculaLuigi Denza		Funiculì, Funiculà is a railway promotional song
23	Trepak from The NutcrackerPyotr Tchaikovsky		Tchaikovsky’s ballet music
24	From the opera Aida: ‘Triumphal Chorus’ and ‘Triumphal March’Giuseppe Verdi		An epic piece of music for a sports day
25	Fiddle-FaddleLeroy Anderson		Introduction to lively classical pieces perfect for a sports day
26	CarmenGeorges Bizet		Bizet’s Carmen prelude is popular at school sports days.
27	Weigh anchorCharles Zimmerman		The march of the Naval Academy, composed by Zimmermann
28	The Flight of the BumblebeeNikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov		Flight of the Bumblebee is a fast virtuosic piece
29	HuntingJohann Strauss II		Strauss's Hunt
30	Sports Show MarchKoseki Yūji		Sports Show March by Yuji Koseki
31	William Tell OvertureRosshīni		A magnificent overture, marked by a powerful rhythm
32	The Washington PostJohn Philip Sousa		A famous march composed by Sousa
33	Symphonic Poem: The Sorcerer’s ApprenticePaul Dukas		A musical piece depicting the commotion caused by a sorcerer’s apprentice
34	Tritsch-Tratsch-PolkaJohann Strauss II		A lively polka by Strauss II
35	African SymphonyVan McCoy		An energetic song for a sports day
36	light cavalryFranz von Suppé		The Light Cavalry Overture is a brilliant march
37	Behold, the hero returns.George Frideric Handel		Handel's masterpiece is a staple of award ceremonies
38	The Planets, Op. 32, No. 4: Jupiter, the Bringer of JollityGustav Holst		Make the sports day moving with Holst’s festive music
39	Radetzky MarchJohann Strauss I		The Radetzky March is beloved celebratory music
40	Hungarian Dance No. 5Johannes Brahms		Hungarian Dances by Brahms
41	Clarinet PolkaPōrando min’yō		Clarinet Polka: a song used at sports days
42	Entrance of the Swordsman (Thunder and Lightning)Julius Fučík		With the theme of Fucík’s march “Entrance of the Gladiators.”
43	Pomp and Circumstance No. 1Edward Elgar		Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance Marches
44	A Trumpeter’s HolidayLeroy Anderson		A famous trumpet piece that's a staple at sports days
45	typewriterLeroy Anderson		Introduction to Music with Typewriter Sounds
46	Turkish MarchWolfgang Amadeus Mozart		Recommended famous marches by Mozart
47	Under the banner of the double-headed eagleFranz Wagner		Wagner’s cheerful march is perfect for a sports day
48	Overturesugiyama kouichi		Orchestral sound of Dragon Quest