Wonderful school festival / cultural festival

[Choral Songs] Recommended for cultural and school festivals! Classic choir pieces & the latest popular songs

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

Choral performances by the choir club and whole-school or class-wide chorus numbers are staple events at cultural and school festivals.

“You want to pick popular, classic songs to get everyone hyped!”—but many of you may be struggling to find a track that really clicks.

So in this article, we’ll introduce perfect songs for cultural and school festival performances, from timeless choral standards to J-pop arranged for chorus.

Consider the performance setting and the overall vibe of the event, and choose the best song!

[Choral Songs] Recommended for school culture festivals! Classic choir pieces & the latest popular songs (21–30)

WINDING ROADAyaka × Kobukuro

Kobukuro – WINDING ROAD (Ayaka × Kobukuro)

WINDING ROADAyaka × Kobukuro

The intro phrase is often played on TV and elsewhere, so there will likely be plenty of audience members who know it at cultural and school festivals.

Besides a three-person chorus, arranging it for mixed three-part harmony could also work well.

Since it demands quite a high level of vocal skill, make sure to practice thoroughly before taking the stage.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

AldebaranAI

Aldebaran / AI [Mixed Chorus in 3 Parts]

AldebaranAI

A perfect recommendation for high school students just starting to climb the steps into adulthood: “Aldebaran.” This song, released in 2021 by the bilingual R&B singer AI, who moves effortlessly between Japanese and English, was chosen as the theme song for the NHK morning drama series Come Come Everybody.

Singer-songwriter Naotaro Moriyama wrote both the lyrics and music, resulting in a melodic piece that suits choral performance.

It’s recommended to arrange it for three-part mixed chorus, giving each section a moment to shine.

Why not showcase your singing with its beautiful tonal colors?

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Everyone is a heroAI

“Everyone Is a Hero” Full ver. AI [Official]

Everyone is a heroAI

This song replaces the well-known “Oklahoma Mixer” from folk dance with Japanese lyrics and transforms it into a modern, grand arrangement.

It became famous after being featured in an au commercial, and it’s sung by the vocalist AI.

A melody everyone knows is paired with incredibly positive, empowering lyrics—making it a number you’ll want to sing together with one heart.

Raise the rankinglower

Murakami Shinpei

Report a problem

I should be able to fly (in the sky).supittsu

2-7 I Should Be Able to Fly in the Sky

I should be able to fly (in the sky).supittsu

It was featured in the Fuji TV drama “Hakusen Nagashi” and became a major hit.

This classic song has been covered by many artists and is well-suited for three-part mixed chorus.

With its warm, comforting choral sound, it’s a piece where each singer can convey their feelings by singing to someone dear to them.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Kitearashi

[Chorus] Kite / Arashi・Kenshi Yonezu (Mixed Choir ShallWeSing?)

Kitearashi

This song, written and composed by the hugely popular singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu and performed by Arashi, was created as the NHK 2020 Song.

The lyrics, which talk about dreams and the future, are a perfect fit for the 2020 theme, aren’t they? I believe the sentiment embedded in the music also makes it an ideal theme for students to sing.

While pop songs are often difficult to perform as choral pieces, this one has a slow tempo and relatively simple rhythm, so I think it’s easy to sing in a choir.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

HEART BEATYOASOBI

YOASOBI「HEART BEAT」Official Music Video

HEART BEATYOASOBI

Many of the songs by the music duo YOASOBI feature narrative lyrics and melodies that truly resonate.

Created as the theme song for NHK’s “18 Festival,” this piece is a moving track that portrays the heartbeat and growth of young people.

It encourages listeners to reexamine their own identities and find the courage to take a step toward the future.

Filled with the feelings of a thousand 18-year-olds, this song would surely make for a deeply moving performance if sung together at a school or cultural festival—the heartfelt vocals would envelop the entire venue.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

budKobukuro

Wakayama Prefectural Tanabe High School Choir – (8) Tsubomi

budKobukuro

When it comes to classic J-pop songs for choir, isn’t Kobukuro’s “Tsubomi” the go-to choice? I think everyone in the class is familiar with Kobukuro.

When choosing a song for chorus, picking an artist everyone knows is really important.

It makes practice go more smoothly and helps create a better performance.

The choir performance at the school festival will be a lifelong memory, so choosing a song that fits your generation is a great idea.

Kobukuro represents the Heisei and Reiwa eras, so they’re a perfect fit.

Raise the rankinglower

kinoshita ayaka

Report a problem