[Wind Band] Guaranteed to hype up the school festival! Recommended pieces the brass band will want to play

Galaxy Express 999Godaigo

Galaxy Express 999 (Wind Ensemble) / Yukihide Takekawa (Masanori Taruya) / The Galaxy Express 999 / Yukihide Takekawa (Masanori Taruya) COMS-85010

The song used as the theme for the anime film Galaxy Express 999 is Godiego’s “Galaxy Express 999.” Released as a single in 1979, it reached No.

2 on the Oricon Singles Chart.

Composer-arranger Masanori Taruya created a wind band arrangement, and it’s become a staple number for high school baseball cheering, among other events.

Its up-tempo, powerful sound evokes the image of a steam locomotive charging ahead, filling listeners with excitement.

It’s a perfect track for the lively atmosphere of school festivals and similar occasions!

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Hamada Takuya

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Bling-Bang-Bang-BornCreepy Nuts

Bling-Bang-Bang-Born / Creepy Nuts [Osaka Toin High School Brass Band]

This is the opening theme song for the second season of the TV anime “Mashle: Magic and Muscles,” featuring a magically addictive, heavy beat and a striking chorus.

Released by Creepy Nuts in January 2024, the track skillfully fuses Jersey club sounds with flexible, inventive ideas, earning support from a wide range of listeners.

While vividly expressing the work’s grand worldview, its message—about living unconstrained by convention and maintaining strong will—captures listeners’ hearts and won’t let go.

It gained attention through dance challenges on social media and sparked major buzz at home and abroad, reaching No.

80 on Spotify’s Global Top 100 chart for January 15.

It’s a perfect song for amping up school festivals and live events.

A Cruel Angel’s ThesisTakahashi Yoko

A Cruel Angel's Thesis / Yoko Takahashi

The opening theme of the TV anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, A Cruel Angel’s Thesis, was released in 1995 as Yoko Takahashi’s 11th single.

With its beautiful yet heartrending melody and powerful rhythm, the song has maintained high popularity and recognition beyond the realm of anime songs even after the broadcast ended.

Thanks to its easy-to-remember melody, it’s no surprise it’s a karaoke staple.

Given its fame and popularity, it’s also highly recommended as a national favorite to perform at school festivals.

Star Wars: The Imperial MarchJohn Williams

Star Wars: The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme) / John Williams — Imperial March (Teikoku no Māchi) Ryukoku University Wind Band

This is an immortal masterpiece by John Williams, distinguished by its heavy brass timbre and dignified melody.

First unveiled in 1980 in a performance by the Boston Pops Orchestra, the piece brims with tension—you can almost sense the presence of a jet-black cape emerging from the darkness just by listening.

Its grand orchestral sound and powerful rhythms make it perfect for wind band performance.

Play it on a school festival stage, and the entire venue will surely be enveloped by the overwhelming presence of the Galactic Empire.

The brass parts truly shine, so it’s especially recommended for bands with strong brass sections, such as trumpets and trombones.

If you’re aiming for a stage that will leave the audience in awe, definitely give it a try.

SpainChick Corea

Spain

A towering landmark of Latin jazz that delivers a powerful impact.

Originally featured on the classic 1972 album “Light as a Feather,” it continues to captivate listeners with its distinctive rhythms and melodies.

Drawing on Spanish classical music and fusing it with Afro-Cuban rhythms, its innovative arrangement truly shines.

Al Jarreau presented a superb vocal arrangement on his 1980 album “This Time.” It was used as the opening theme for MRT Miyazaki Broadcasting’s “MRT News Wide” through the 1980s, and in 2007 a strings arrangement appeared in a Kirin Beverage “Namacha” commercial.

A staple in wind band repertoire, it’s an energetic piece that unites the audience and turns any cultural festival stage into a lively celebration.

Synchro BOM-BA-YESatō Naoki

Synchro BOM-BA-YE

This is a dramatic, powerful, and exhilarating piece by Naoki Sato, released in August 2003 as the main theme for the TV drama “WATER BOYS.” Its energetic rhythm and bold melody are intricately interwoven with brass section and guitar phrases, resulting in a grand work that lifts the listener’s spirits.

The piece has become one of Sato’s signature works—he has scored numerous films and dramas—and it remains enduringly popular today.

It’s perfect for wind bands as well: performed brightly on stage, it’s sure to bring the entire venue together in excitement.

Highly recommended for school clubs looking to express the passion of youth, friendship, and the courage to take on challenges through music at cultural festivals and events.

Disney Medley – Arranged by Naohiro IwaiVarious Artists

Disney Medley

This is a popular wind band medley that skillfully weaves together seven iconic Disney songs.

From “Mickey Mouse March” to “When You Wish Upon a Star,” beloved classics cherished around the world appear one after another over the course of about nine minutes.

With Naohiro Iwai’s exquisite arranging, the transitions between pieces flow naturally, immersing you as if listening to a single story.

Released in 1981 as Volume 9 of Yamaha’s New Sounds in Brass series, this work had a major impact on the history of pop-style arrangements for wind band.

A performance by the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra can also be enjoyed on the album “New Sounds in Brass Happiness Best: Disney Selection.” Because these songs are loved by all generations, from children to adults, performing this medley at cultural festivals or school festivals is sure to fill the venue with smiles.