A collection of cheerful choral pieces—songs you’ll want to perform at choir competitions and school events.

On the train

Kobe Municipal Takatori Junior High School Cultural Festival (1985) Chorus, 3rd Year Class 1 – FURUI homeroom – Chorus performance at the cultural festival

If you’re looking to sing a bright choral piece, I recommend “On the Train.” It features a bouncy rhythm and rapid-fire call-and-response between parts.

The lyrics center on a journey by train to the countryside where greenery stretches out.

Imagine the beautiful, majestic nature and try singing as you feel the country breeze.

It’s sure to leave you feeling cheerful and refreshed.

Riding a hot-air balloon, anywhere and everywhereSakushi: Azuma Tatsuo / Sakkyoku: Hirayoshi Takeyasu

Riding a Hot-Air Balloon, Anywhere We Go [Tokyo Mixed Chorus]

This dreamlike song would surely bring the house down if performed at a culture festival or school festival.

Its charming worldview—traveling across the sky in a hot-air balloon—tickles children’s imaginations with delightful lyrics.

Ever since it was selected as a required piece for the NHK All-Japan School Music Competition in 1974, it has been loved for many years and can truly be called a timeless classic passed down through generations.

It was also used as the ending theme for the anime Nichijou, etching it even more deeply into people’s hearts.

Because it can be sung in various choral formats—such as two-part equal voices and three-part mixed chorus—it’s perfect for school events.

It’s an ideal piece for music classes and choir competitions, where children can let their voices ring out.

It’s a work I hope will be sung energetically, with handclaps to add to the fun.

BelieveLyrics and Composition: Sugimoto Ryūichi

[Choral Song] Believe — Tokyo Tama Boys and Girls Choir

This is a choral piece filled with a warm, embracing melody and deep affection.

Ryuichi Sugimoto infused the song with themes of friendship, mutual support, and hope for the future.

Overflowing with a gentle desire to stand by someone who needs encouragement, this work was released in 1998 as the ending theme for NHK’s “Ikimono Chikyū Kikō” (A Journey of Life on Earth).

Its warm lyrics and harmonies are perfect for choir competitions that aim to deepen classroom bonds or for memorable graduation ceremonies.

Sung together with friends, it becomes a piece that resonates even more deeply.

Promise of SunflowersHata Motohiro

Hata Motohiro - Promise of a Sunflower (choral/chorus version)

Hata Motohiro’s song, written specifically as the theme for a 3DCG animated film, is a moving piece that sings of an unending bond of love.

The gentle tones of the acoustic guitar and his clear, transparent vocals softly embrace the heart.

Released as a single in August 2014, it reached No.

4 on the Oricon Daily Ranking and earned a million-download certification for the single track, capturing the hearts of many.

Perfectly in harmony with the movie’s theme, this work resonates across time as a classic, making it ideal for choral performance.

It’s highly recommended for school events and gatherings where you want to deepen the bonds among friends.

Youth PhotographLittle Glee Monster

[Little Glee Monster] Youth Photograph [Litoguri]

A heartwarming youth pop song that wraps the bittersweet feelings of graduation season in a bright expression! Sparked by the moment of taking a photo, it portrays the importance of friendship and the excitement for the future, while also expressing the brave facade of masking loneliness with a smile.

Released by Little Glee Monster in March 2015, this work is one of the group’s signature songs that leads into the albums “Colorful Monster” and “Joyful Monster.” Its gentle lyrics, which weave together the value of friendship in a cheerful student life and the desire to preserve memories of life’s milestones, make it perfect for chorus performances at school festivals and graduation ceremonies.

A Little Love SongMONGOL800

A Little Love Song (Junior & Youth Chorus “Raw-Ore”)

A youthful punk song by MONGOL800 that sings of honest feelings for someone you love and the small joys of everyday life.

Its gentle melody, filled with thoughts for someone special, and heartwarming lyrics that vow eternal love resonate deeply with listeners through choral performance.

Included on the album “MESSAGE,” it achieved an extraordinary 2.8 million copies sold for an indie release.

It was also used as the ending theme for the TV anime “Teasing Master Takagi-san,” and in 2019 it was released as a film motif work.

Perfect for strengthening bonds with loved ones—whether in choral performances at school festivals and graduation ceremonies, or at weddings and farewell parties.

Precious thingssakushi sakkyoku: Yamazaki Tomoko

[Chorus] Important Things (Mixed Three-Part)

This choral piece expresses the value of friendship and the rediscovery of important things we often overlook in everyday life through a moving melody and lyrics.

Layering past memories with the self living in the present, it gently sings of the beauty of time spent together and human connection.

Released by Kyoiku Geijutsu Sha in 2006, it was featured as an insert song in the film “School-Live!” and has also been included in middle school music textbooks.

Widely beloved at graduation ceremonies, choral competitions, and cultural festivals, it’s the perfect song for moments that deepen bonds with the friends you sing with.