Wind Ensemble: Brass Band Pieces Popular with Girls. Masterpieces of Wind Music Recommended for Women.
Japan is known as a wind band powerhouse, with an estimated 13,000 ensembles nationwide.
In junior high and high school clubs, the majority of members are girls, and because the wind band club is so popular, many women have plenty of opportunities to experience wind band music.
With that in mind, I’ve written an article recommending wind band works for girls in wind bands and for adult women.
Many people fondly remember their wind band club days or are now active in community and workplace ensembles.
This time, I’ll introduce famous wind band pieces that girls and adult women alike can enjoy.
Playlist
| Wind Ensemble: Brass Band Pieces Popular with Girls. Masterpieces of Wind Music Recommended for Women. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| show_chart | Title | Playlist | Review |
| 1 | The Last Letter from MurdockTarumiya Masanori |  play_arrow | A moving wind band piece based on a letter from a Titanic officer |
| 2 | Layla on the HillHoshide Takashi |  play_arrow | A wind ensemble piece rich in poetic sentiment and overflowing with emotion |
| 3 | Magellan’s Challenge to the Unknown ContinentTarumiya Masanori |  play_arrow | An epic piece composed by Masanori Taruya that depicts adventures of the Age of Discovery |
| 4 | El Camino RealAlfred Reed |  play_arrow | Spanish Passionate Latin Fantasy |
| 5 | Carpenters ForeverJ.Raposo/P.Williams/R.Nichols/J.Bettis/R.Carpenter/H.David/B.Bacharach/L.Russell/B.Bramlett/F.Karlin/J.Griffin/R.Wilson |  play_arrow | Carpenters classics arranged for wind band |
| 6 | “Retro” 2023 All-Japan Band Competition Required Piece IIIAmano Masamichi |  play_arrow | Masamichi Amano revived 70s–80s pop music through wind band arrangements. |
| 7 | Treasure IslandIzumi Hirotaka |  play_arrow | T-SQUARE’s song arranged by Toshio Mashima has become a wind band standard |
| 8 | ArsenalJan Van der Roost |  play_arrow | A solemn concert march by a Belgian composer |
| 9 | Sakura SongFukuda Yosuke |  | A moving brass band masterpiece themed around cherry blossoms |
| 10 | Blue and SummerMrs. GREEN APPLE |  play_arrow | “Aoi to Natsu” is popular with the brass band club |
| 11 | Tanabata (Star Festival)Sakai Itaru |  play_arrow | Why Itaru Sakai’s Tanabata pieces are popular among junior and senior high school students |
| 12 | “Fairytale” 2024 All-Japan Band Competition, Set Piece IIISakai Itaru |  play_arrow | Set Piece for the 2024 All-Japan Band Competition by Itaru Sakai |
| 13 | School HeavenFingā 5 |  play_arrow | Gakuen Tengoku is a popular piece in brass band music. |
| 14 | Battle Suite for Wind Ensemble “Evangelion”Sagisu Shirō |  play_arrow | Wind ensemble arrangement of Evangelion battle music |
| 15 | Liberty Leading the PeopleTarumiya Masanori |  play_arrow | A wind ensemble piece on the theme of the French Revolution |
| 16 | Redline TangoJohn Mackey |  play_arrow | A signature work whose appeal lies in Makki’s composition with a sense of speed and tango |
| 17 | SedonaSteven Reinek |  play_arrow | A masterpiece of program music depicting the landscapes of Arizona |
| 18 | Disney MedleyVarious Artists/Iwai Naohiro |  play_arrow | Wind Orchestra Medley of Disney Songs |
| 19 | Disney’s Fantillusion!Various Artists/Takashi Hoshide |  play_arrow | Wind band arrangement of Disney songs |
| 20 | Deep Purple MedleyHenchoku: Sahashi Toshihiko |  play_arrow | A wind band medley that fuses three Deep Purple songs |
| 21 | Music of the UniversePhilip Sparke |  play_arrow | A romantic wind ensemble piece with a space theme |
| 22 | A Trumpeter’s HolidayLeroy Anderson |  play_arrow | A staple at sports days and very popular in Japan |
| 23 | Sing, Sing, SingLouis Prima |  play_arrow | Popular wind ensemble pieces from Swing Girls |
| 24 | When the Saints Go Marching Inkokujin reika |  play_arrow | When the Saints Go Marching In is a standard piece in wind band repertoire. |
| 25 | Overture “Carnival of the Rose”Joseph Olivadoti |  play_arrow | Olivadoti’s famous wind ensemble piece |
| 26 | Symphonic Suite “GR”: Symphonic SelectionAmano Masamichi |  play_arrow | Arrange the Giant Robo soundtrack for wind ensemble |
| 27 | Magpie’s Nest at the Divine Door ~ Festive Overture for Wind EnsembleNakahashi Aoi |  play_arrow | An experimental wind ensemble work by Aoi Nakahashi. |
| 28 | CenturiaJames Swearingen |  play_arrow | A magnificent masterpiece originating from Spain |
| 29 | Moonlight SerenadeGlenn Miller |  play_arrow | Glenn Miller’s classic Moonlight Serenade |
| 30 | Galaxy Express 999Godaigo |  play_arrow | The innovative rock theme song of Galaxy Express 999 |
| 31 | First Suite for Wind EnsembleGustav Holst |  play_arrow | Jupiter, the planet, is seeing a rise in popularity among women thanks to the original song. |
| 32 | Heavenly IslandSatō Hiroaki |  play_arrow | A wind ensemble contest piece inspired by Teuri Island |
| 33 | Disco KidTōkairin Osamu |  play_arrow | Evolving from a brass band contest piece to a popular song |
| 34 | Symphonic Poem “Run, Melos”Fukushima Hirokazu |  play_arrow | A wind ensemble piece based on Run, Melos! |
| 35 | Spells and DanceJohn Barnes Chance |  play_arrow | A grand wind band piece composed by Chance |
| 36 | Sailors and sea shanties (songs of seafaring men)Robert W. Smith |  play_arrow | About sailors and sea shanties |
| 37 | Procession to PeaceToda Akira |  play_arrow | A famed wind ensemble piece filled with prayer |
| 38 | Dance of the Wind for Wind EnsembleFukuda Yosuke |  play_arrow | Kabuki-style wind band music by Yosuke Fukuda |
| 39 | Cinema ParadisoEnnio Morricone |  play_arrow | Morricone's masterpiece film music |
| 40 | Variations on ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’Ishige Rika |  play_arrow | A wind ensemble piece arranged from a French folk song |
| 41 | Song of WalesAlbert Oliver Davis |  play_arrow | A musical piece based on a Welsh folk song |
| 42 | In the MoodGlenn Miller |  play_arrow | A swing jazz classic by Glenn Miller |
| 43 | Ancient FlowerNishimura Yukiko |  play_arrow | Yukiko Nishimura’s ballad works receive high praise |
| 44 | Mambo of the BullfighterBernardino Bautista Monterde |  play_arrow | Hit songs by Pérez Prado, the King of Mambo |
| 45 | Festival VariationsClaude Thomas Smith |  play_arrow | Composed by Smith, a grand piece with impressive horns |
| 46 | Symphonic Suite PinocchioFerrer Ferran |  play_arrow | Introduction to Pinocchio's musical works |
| 47 | Symphonic OvertureJohn Barnes Chance |  play_arrow | Barnes’s flamboyant fanfare piece |
| 48 | Bilqis, the Queen of ShebaOttorino Respighi |  play_arrow | Popular pieces arranged from orchestra to wind band |
| 49 | The Pines of RomeOttorino Respighi |  play_arrow | Respighi’s Roman Trilogy |
| 50 | Overture “1812”Pyotr Tchaikovsky |  play_arrow | A magnificent masterpiece themed around Napoleon’s expedition |
| 51 | Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral from the opera LohengrinRichard Wagner |  play_arrow | The wedding ceremony scene in an opera by Wagner |
| 52 | Hound of SpringAlfred Reed |  play_arrow | Spring Hound is a lively wind ensemble piece inspired by the image of spring. |
| 53 | Global VariationsNigel Hess |  play_arrow | A song themed around a round-the-world journey |
| 54 | Myth for Wind Ensemble: The Tale of the Heavenly Rock CaveŌguri Yutaka |  play_arrow | A musical piece inspired by the story of the Heavenly Rock Cave (Ame-no-Iwato) |