[Choral Piece] High Difficulty! A selection of works that are hard to sing

I will protect you.Sakushi: Giniro Natsuo, Sakkyoku: Ueda Masaki

Choral piece “I Will Protect” (mixed choir, four parts) premiere

Boku ga Mamoru (I Will Protect You) was chosen as the set piece for the high school division of the 2011 NHK All-Japan School Music Competition.

It’s a mixed-choir SATB piece, and its biggest appeal lies in its straightforward lyrics.

With simple words like “Until now, I was the one being helped, but this time it’s my turn to help someone,” it seems to call for the power to express an honest, earnest feeling.

At first listen it may not seem all that difficult, but there are many subtle tricky spots, so be sure to practice with the score and other references!

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Yuuki

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Youth RhapsodySakushi: Itsuki Hiroyuki, Sakkyoku: Nobunaga Takato

Youth Chronicle [Subtitles]

Seishun-fu is achingly poignant and powerful, yet somehow refined.

Selected as the set piece for the high school division in the 75th NHK All-Japan School Choir Competition, this work is a highly challenging mixed chorus piece.

The high notes in particular are difficult, and mastering them with a beautiful tone without tightening the throat may require considerable practice.

In addition, parts of the melody use distinctive intervals, so care must be taken not to go off pitch there.

Pay attention to the finer details, and why not take on the challenge of this piece?

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Yuuki

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My Milestonesakushi: Kataoka Kihei, sakkyoku: Yoshiki Shuu

[Choral Piece] My Milestone / Mixed Chorus in Four Parts [With Lyrics]

“Waga Riteishō” (Our Milestone) is a challenging choral piece with lyrics by Akira Kataoka and music by Takekuni Hirayoshi.

It begins in A major but modulates to F major near the end, and that development is one reason it’s difficult.

It’s also structured as a suite in four movements, and performers are tested on their expressive ability to quickly shift scenes while capturing the distinct character of each movement—no easy task.

It was originally published for mixed chorus in four parts, but later, as it became well-known through competitions and the like, a three-part mixed chorus version for junior high school students was created.

If four-part mixed chorus feels too demanding, you might consider trying the three-part version instead.

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Yuuki

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Himeyuri no Tō (Himeyuri Monument)Sakushi: Yamamoto Kazuo, Sakkyoku: Iwakawa Saburou

[Chorus] Himeyuri Tower

Himeyuri no Tō is considered historically important.

With lyrics by Kazuo Yamamoto and music by Saburō Iwagawa, this song depicts the tragic events in Okinawa with stark realism.

To sing it with genuine feeling, first research the events described in the lyrics.

From a choral perspective, the atmosphere shifts—at times sorrowful, at times terrifying—making it challenging to perform.

How you express that wide range will significantly shape listeners’ impressions.

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yamamoto

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summerSakushi: Torigata Tomomi, Sakkyoku: Matsushita Kou

Summer (from the three-part mixed chorus suite “Summer of the Wind”) – Koh Matsushita

The choral piece “Natsu” (“Summer”) captivates with its original world, reminiscent of the classical composer Claude Debussy.

Among mixed three-part choral suites, this work is especially beautiful and intense.

Beloved and sung for many years, it is a dark piece that laments the horrors of war.

To convey its tension, high notes and rapid passages alternate dizzyingly, so mastering it surely demands considerable practice.

Performers are also challenged to convey its sorrow convincingly to the listener.

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Yuuki

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MugiyaIwakawa Saburō

[Chorus] From “Three Folk Songs Passed Down in Toyama”: Mugiya

Saburō Iwakawa’s Three Folksongs from Toyama, for which he wrote both the lyrics and the music.

Among them, the best known is Mugiya.

Since its premiere in 1979, it has been sung for many years as a choral piece.

The piano melody has the feel of a children’s song, and capturing that distinctive atmosphere seems quite challenging.

The worldview of the snow dolls that appear in the lyrics is also very mysterious, and it seems to demand a high level of expressive ability.

The biggest hurdle is the point where the character of the music changes dramatically partway through.

The key becomes very high, and it looks difficult to sing the bouncing rhythm accurately.

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Yuuki

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blizzardSakushi: Ozaki Saeko, Sakkyoku: Sato Makoto

blizzard

In recent years, performing anime songs in choral arrangements has become popular.

Singing upbeat, poppy tunes is fun, but here I’d like to introduce a piece with a heavier atmosphere: Fubuki.

It’s a song by Shiena Nishizawa, used as the ending theme for the anime Kantai Collection -KanColle-.

The piece blends an operatic feel with the character of a military march.

It stays in an extremely high register throughout, so it seems to demand advanced technique.

However, if you can master it, you can create a truly powerful performance.

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yamamoto

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