Wonderful school festival / cultural festival

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

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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 Culture Festivals and School Festivals! Classic Choir Pieces & the Newest Popular Songs (41–50)

Best FriendNishino Kana

Best Friend [Mixed Three-Part Chorus]

Best FriendNishino Kana

This song by Kana Nishino, hugely popular among women, is often sung at graduation ceremonies as a girls’ friendship anthem.

You might think, “A chorus with such a pop song?” but when performed as a chorus, each harmony sounds adorable, creating a lively two-part women’s chorus! It’s a recommended piece for anyone looking for gratifying female harmonies.

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[Chorus Songs] Recommended for culture festivals and school festivals! Classic choir pieces & the latest popular songs (51–60)

Let’s search for tomorrowSakushi: Hori Tohru / Sakkyoku: Osawa Tetsunori

Let’s search for Tomorrow

Let's search for tomorrowSakushi: Hori Tohru / Sakkyoku: Osawa Tetsunori

If you’re looking for catchy, classic songs that are easy to sing at school festivals, “Let’s search for tomorrow” is highly recommended.

Created in 1989, the song features lyrics by Toru Hori and music by Tetsunori Osawa.

It’s a mixed-voice three-part choral piece with a medium tempo.

The chorus’s classical melodic line makes it easy to pitch, so beginners will find it approachable.

The song is filled with a positive message themed around “tomorrow” and “hope.” With its beautiful male–female harmonies, it’s definitely worth a try!

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SMILE ~Like a Clear, Sunlit Sky~Kuwata Keisuke

Keisuke Kuwata “SMILE ~Like a Clear Blue Sky~” Commercial Broadcasters Official Special Movie (Joint Commercial Broadcasters Project ‘Let’s Do It Together’ Support Song)

SMILE ~Like a Clear, Sunlit Sky~Kuwata Keisuke

This song is the theme for the joint project “Let’s Do It Together,” carried out in collaboration by private TV stations across Japan.

The task was entrusted to Keisuke Kuwata, who has created numerous beloved national classics.

From the very beginning, the intro is striking—modern in sound yet somehow tinged with nostalgia.

It’s a slow-tempo piece with a relaxed melody, making it perfect for choral singing.

The lyrics also embrace dreams, hope, and the future with a positive outlook, so the content fits well with students’ cultural and school festivals!

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Beyond the tearsShingu Auto

Hisamatsu Junior High School Chorus ~Beyond the Tears~

Beyond the tearsshingu・auto

This is a hit song that originated from NHK’s music variety show “Stage 101.” It’s often sung as a choir piece in elementary and junior high schools, as well as at graduation ceremonies.

With its lively piano accompaniment, it’s popular as a bright, up-tempo song.

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Hymn to the EarthSakushi: Oki Atsuo / Sakkyoku: Sato Makoto

Hymn to the Earth (with lyrics)

Hymn to the EarthSakushi: Oki Atsuo / Sakkyoku: Sato Makoto

The choral piece “Hymn to the Earth” (Daichi Sanshō), often sung at graduation ceremonies, has lyrics by Atsuo Ohki and music by Makoto Sato, and was composed in 1962.

It is the final movement of the cantata “Song of the Earth,” though it is also frequently performed on its own.

Its expansive, generous melody evokes vast nature and has a calming effect.

If you’re unsure which staple pieces to choose for a middle or high school chorus—especially for a cultural or school festival—consider this as a reference.

How about performing it as a mixed chorus, divided into soprano/alto and tenor/bass parts?

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YELLikimonogakari

Koriyama Daini Junior High School “YELL”

YELLikimonogakari

This is the song Ikimono-gakari released in 2009 as the set piece for the NHK National School Music Competition, Junior High School Division.

NHK had requested a bright and energetic song, but Yoshiki Mizuno, who composed the piece, reflected on his own troubled junior high school years and created this song, which is relatively dark for Ikimono-gakari and closer to a ballad—and it was selected.

To all junior high and high school students: sing your hearts out and pour your struggling young emotions into this song.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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In springsakushi: tanikawa shuntarō / sakkyoku: kinoshita makiko

In spring

In springsakushi: tanikawa shuntarō / sakkyoku: kinoshita makiko

It is said that the lyrics were based on one of the poems in Shuntaro Tanikawa’s collection Dokin, which is well known for being featured in junior high school textbooks.

The piece is sung by choirs across a wide range of ages, from elementary schools and general choirs to, most commonly, junior high and high schools.

It’s a choral work with both high popularity and recognition.

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