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[Piano Duets] Guaranteed to get the crowd excited! A roundup of recommended pieces

Graduated from a music school / 21 years of piano experiencesatomi
I began playing the piano at the age of four and spent six years at a conservatory, focusing mainly on classical music while honing my skills. In addition to solo performance, I studied extensively in chamber music and two-piano repertoire, and I had the opportunity to perform twice on stage as a soloist in piano concertos. While not to the same extent as classical, I also learned jazz and pop through practical performance. I was active as a pianist in various settings, including instrumental and vocal/choral accompaniment, performance assistance for other departments, and recording sessions. Beyond the piano, I devoted five years to the trombone in a wind ensemble. I hope to draw on these experiences to share the charm of music with many people.

Piano duet is when two people sit side by side at the piano and, breathing together, perform with four hands.

With duets, you can enjoy a depth and opulence of sound that’s different from solo playing.

Another major attraction is the joy of ensemble—two people creating a single performance together.

This time, we’ve picked out guaranteed crowd-pleasing recommendations from among piano duet pieces!

We’ve gathered cool works that will captivate both players and listeners, so please enjoy to the end!

[Piano Duet Pieces] Guaranteed to Get Everyone Excited! A Roundup of Recommended Works (71–80)

Quintet Theme ‘Evening Quintet’Miyagawa Akira

[Beginner] Quintet Theme 'Evening Quintet'

Quintet Theme 'Evening Quintet'Miyagawa Akira

This is a popular theme song that aired as the opening theme of NHK Educational TV’s music appreciation program from April 2003 to March 2013.

Its bright, lively rhythm and approachable melodic line are memorable, as are the unique lyrics that rhythmically weave in the Japanese syllabary.

The lyrics also change with each of the four seasons, artfully depicting scenes at dusk.

In December 2005, the work won the top prize in the Children and Youth Programs category at the 42nd ABU (Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union) General Assembly held in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Loved as a piece parents and children can enjoy performing together, it is also a popular choice for piano duets.

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UniverseOfisharu Higedan Dism

[Official HIGE DANDism] “Universe” Advanced Piano Duet Performance [Doraemon: Nobita’s Little Star Wars 2021]

UniverseOfisharu Higedan Dism

This is a song by the music group Official HIGE DANDism, affectionately known as “Higedan.” It’s the theme song for the national anime film Doraemon: Nobita’s Little Star Wars 2021, and its title carries meanings like “imaginary world” and “universe.” When you think of space in films, grand images like Star Wars or E.T.

may come to mind, but since this is for the beloved anime Doraemon, the piece has a friendly, hope-filled character.

The opening piano part remains compelling even in the four-hand arrangement; it makes clever use of rests and continues with phrases that are quintessentially Higedan.

The powerful vocal lines, when adapted for piano duet, gain just the right accents and added depth from two players, bringing out the strengths of the original.

It seems the sheet music is available for purchase, so if you’re a pianist who likes Higedan, why not give it a try?

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My Neighbor Totoro ‘Catbus’Hisaishi Joe

Catbus, My Neighbor Totoro, Ghibli, solo four-hands (one-person duet), “Duet pieces I want to play at a recital,” “Fun duet pieces.”

My Neighbor Totoro 'Catbus'Hisaishi Joe

The piece used in the film’s brisk, whimsical vehicle scene is notable for its warm sound in A-flat major and its bouncy rhythm.

The melody, unfolding at a speedy tempo, evokes a mysterious nighttime adventure.

Characterized by a fast tempo and an appealing melodic line, this work is perfect for piano four hands.

By synchronizing breathing and listening to each other’s sound while playing, performers can experience the joy of piano performance.

Since the film’s release in 1988, this piece has continued to be loved by many music enthusiasts, and through four-hand performance it serves as a fine work that fosters bonds across generations.

Frequently performed in a variety of arrangements, it is also ideal for recitals.

Because the difficulty varies by part, it can be enjoyed by different pairings—teacher and student, parent and child, and more.

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[Piano Duets] Guaranteed to Get the Crowd Going! A Roundup of Recommended Works (81–90)

Wonderful HolidayTakeuchi Mariya

KFC Christmas Commercial Song [Full Sheet Music] Wonderful Holiday (Piano Duet / Intermediate) by Mariya Takeuchi

Wonderful HolidayTakeuchi Mariya

Here comes a seasonally themed piano duet arrangement.

It’s “Suteki na Holiday” by Mariya Takeuchi, well-known from the KFC commercials.

Even the title feels lovely, doesn’t it? Rather than “cool,” it gives off a stylish vibe, and in a piano duet it keeps that cheerful, exciting feel intact, perfect for coloring the Christmas atmosphere.

The bells are sleigh bells, so if the other piano part has some leeway, it would be nice to have them play the bell part too.

For the A and B sections, play with the feeling of going shopping, and for the chorus, imagine arriving in the bustling town.

If you can nail the modulation after the repeat, it’ll sound really impressive.

Don’t hold back—build up the energy in the climactic sections.

If you cherish that “this feels nice” feeling as you play, the joy will spread, and both performers and listeners will end up smiling.

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A Long, Short FestivalShiina Ringo

[Solo piano four-hands] Long and Short Festival / Ringo Sheena – Full

A Long, Short FestivalShiina Ringo

As the second release of 2015 from Ringo Sheena, the single “Nagai Kawaii Matsuri” has been arranged into a stylish and cool piano duet.

Of course, a cool song is already cool in its original form, but here is a piano duet arrangement that even fans will find convincing.

Every section—the A verse, B verse, and chorus—sounds great, but the standout is the solo in the middle.

In the original, the brass section hands off to a piano solo, but in the duet arrangement, it’s faithfully recreated using only the piano.

It preserves the atmosphere while bringing out the best of jazz and piano.

This is what you’d call a high-quality arrangement.

Even if you’re not a Ringo Sheena fan, it stands on its own as a piece for piano duet, and if performed with flair, it will surely captivate the audience.

Even from a listener’s perspective, this is a highly satisfying and very listenable arrangement.

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In conclusion

We’ve introduced some cool piano duet pieces that will get both the performers and the listeners pumped up! They’re all dazzling works, so they’re great choices for recital performances.

Among the pieces we featured, many have published arrangement scores suitable for a range of skill levels.

Be sure to find sheet music that suits you and enjoy the unique fun of playing duets, which is different from performing solo!