[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	Overture to the opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila”Mikhail Glinka		Glinka’s famous piece, a brilliant orchestral work perfect for a sports day
2	The Blue Danube, Op. 314Johann Strauss II		The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II
3	William Tell OvertureGioachino Rossini		Rossini’s overture is used at sports days.
4	Csikos PostHermann Necke		The famous piece by Hermann Necke often played at sports festivals
5	Heaven and HellJacques Offenbach		Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, famous at school sports festivals
6	The Star-Spangled Banner ForeverJohn Philip Sousa		Sousa’s famous march
7	The EntertainerScott Joplin		Bright and dynamic jazz piano piece
8	Galop of the ClownsDmitri Kabalevsky		About Kabalevsky's suite The Comedians
9	Colonel BogeyKenneth Joseph Alford		A British composer's march is a staple at sports days.
10	Symphony No. 5 “Revolution,” Fourth MovementDmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich		Mood boost with Shostakovich’s symphonies
11	Sword DanceAram Khachaturian		Sabre Dance by Khachaturian
12	Prelude to Act III from the opera “Lohengrin”Richard Wagner		Wagner’s festive musical works
13	Under the banner of the double-headed eagleFranz Wagner		Wagner’s cheerful march is perfect for a sports day
14	Pomp and Circumstance No. 1Edward Elgar		Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance Marches
15	Radetzky MarchJohann Strauss I		The Radetzky March is beloved celebratory music
16	old friendCarl Teike		The perfect march for entering the closing ceremony of a sports day
17	El CapitanJohn Philip Sousa		A staple of wind bands: Sousa’s dazzling march
18	Symphony No. 9 “From the New World,” Fourth MovementAntonín Leopold Dvořák		Dvořák’s famous piece is popular at sports festivals.
19	Trumpet VoluntaryJeremiah Clark		Celebrate brilliantly with a trumpet festival piece
20	Pastorale from L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2Georges Bizet		A gentle masterpiece by Bizet that depicts the scenery of southern France
21	Finlandia, Op. 26Jean Sibelius		Sibelius's symphonic poem Finlandia
22	Annen-Polka, Op. 117Johann Strauss II		A lively polka by Strauss
23	L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2: FarandoleGeorges Bizet		A splendid festive dance piece originating from Provence
24	Violin Concerto No. 1 in E major, RV 269 “Spring”Antonio Vivaldi		A concerto depicting Spring from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons
25	Lezginka from the ballet “Gayane”Aram Khachaturian		Orchestral Music for Caucasian Ethnic Dance
26	The Whistler and His DogArthur Pryor		A representative work by Arthur Pryor. A bright melody depicting a dog’s walk.
27	Perpetuum mobile, Op. 257Johann Strauss II		A dynamic miniature by Strauss II
28	Clarinet CandyLeroy Anderson		A lively brass band piece for a sports day BGM
29	Plink, Plenk, PlonkLeroy Anderson		A humorous, lively piece in pizzicato
30	American PatrolFrank Meacham		The march is used at sports festivals and is famous worldwide.
31	Voices of Spring, Op. 410Johann Strauss II		A masterpiece by Strauss II, a brilliant piece that evokes the feeling of spring
32	Ancient Airs and Dances for Lute, Suite No. 3, III. SicilianaOttorino Respighi		A masterpiece that revived Respighi’s ancient dances with strings
33	A Trumpeter’s HolidayLeroy Anderson		A famous trumpet piece that's a staple at sports days
34	March “Beyond the K-Point”Takahashi Shinya		The appeal of brass band marches that liven up sports days
35	Funiculi FuniculaLuigi Denza		Funiculì, Funiculà is a railway promotional song
36	Sports MarchMayuzumi Toshirō		A march composed by Toshiro Mayuzumi that’s a staple of sports broadcasts
37	Fiddle-FaddleLeroy Anderson		Introduction to lively classical pieces perfect for a sports day
38	Trepak from The NutcrackerPyotr Tchaikovsky		Tchaikovsky’s ballet music
39	From the opera Aida: ‘Triumphal Chorus’ and ‘Triumphal March’Giuseppe Verdi		An epic piece of music for a sports day
40	The Flight of the BumblebeeNikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov		Flight of the Bumblebee is a fast virtuosic piece
41	HuntingJohann Strauss II		Strauss's Hunt
42	CarmenGeorges Bizet		Bizet’s Carmen prelude is popular at school sports days.
43	In a Persian marketAlbert William Ketèlbey		A grand orchestral work with exotic flair
44	Weigh anchorCharles Zimmerman		The march of the Naval Academy, composed by Zimmermann
45	Tritsch-Tratsch-PolkaJohann Strauss II		A lively polka by Strauss II
46	Young powerShinichi Takada		A classic sports day song with a bright, powerful melody
47	light cavalryFranz von Suppé		The Light Cavalry Overture is a brilliant march
48	Behold, the hero returns.George Frideric Handel		Handel's masterpiece is a staple of award ceremonies
49	The Washington PostJohn Philip Sousa		A famous march composed by Sousa
50	Tokyo Olympic MarchKoseki Yūji		A song of hope for the 1964 Olympics
51	Music Collection for Sports Day: Go Go GoZama Yoshihiro		A collection of powerful songs perfect for sports day
52	Sports Show MarchKoseki Yūji		Sports Show March by Yuji Koseki
53	Symphonic Poem: The Sorcerer’s ApprenticePaul Dukas		A musical piece depicting the commotion caused by a sorcerer’s apprentice
54	Clarinet PolkaPōrando min’yō		Clarinet Polka: a song used at sports days
55	The Planets, Op. 32, No. 4: Jupiter, the Bringer of JollityGustav Holst		Make the sports day moving with Holst’s festive music
56	Turkish MarchWolfgang Amadeus Mozart		Recommended famous marches by Mozart
57	Hungarian Dance No. 5Johannes Brahms		Hungarian Dances by Brahms
58	Entrance of the Swordsman (Thunder and Lightning)Julius Fučík		With the theme of Fucík’s march “Entrance of the Gladiators.”
59	typewriterLeroy Anderson		Introduction to Music with Typewriter Sounds
60	African SymphonyVan McCoy		An energetic song for a sports day
61	Overturesugiyama kouichi		Orchestral sound of Dragon Quest