[Choral Piece] Difficult but cool! A work that overwhelms its listeners
You may have found your way here because you’re looking for a free-choice piece to sing at a choir competition or because you want to improve your choral technique! In this article, I’ll be introducing choral pieces that are quite challenging to sing.
Fast tempos, sudden tempo changes, wide melodic leaps, and complex staggered entries between parts—these pieces have it all.
If you can make it through the works listed here, you’ll surely feel a great sense of accomplishment.
Be sure to read to the end!
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[Choral Music] Difficult but Cool! Works That Overwhelm the Listener (41–50)
MugiyaIwakawa Saburō
“Three Folk Songs from Toyama,” with lyrics and music by Saburō Iwakawa.
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 a nursery-rhyme-like feel, and it seems quite challenging to capture that distinctive atmosphere.
The worldview of the snow dolls that appears in the lyrics is also very mysterious, and it seems to demand a high level of expressiveness.
The biggest hurdle is where the character of the piece changes dramatically partway through.
The key becomes very high, and singing the bouncing rhythms accurately looks difficult.
summerSakushi: Torigata Tomomi, Sakkyoku: Matsushita Kou
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.
Himeyuri no Tō (Himeyuri Monument)Sakushi: Yamamoto Kazuo, Sakkyoku: Iwakawa Saburou
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.
GiftShiho Ochi · Koichi Tsutaya
A song marked by a warm melody that gently embraces the heart and a powerful message that boosts self-esteem.
While empathizing with the anxieties and loneliness unique to adolescence, it tenderly conveys the importance of finding your true self.
Released in September 2019, it was also selected as the compulsory piece for the middle school division of the 85th NHK National School Music Competition.
The music video portrays middle schoolers in a realistic, relatable light, resonating with many viewers.
If everyone unites their hearts and sings it together at events like choir competitions or graduation ceremonies—across classes or entire grades—it’s sure to become a wonderful memory.
My Milestonesakushi: Kataoka Kihei, sakkyoku: Yoshiki Shuu
“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.
Youth RhapsodySakushi: Itsuki Hiroyuki, Sakkyoku: Nobunaga Takato
Seishunfu is achingly poignant and powerful, yet somehow exudes an air of elegance.
Chosen as the set piece for the high school division of the 75th NHK All-Japan School Choir Competition, this work is an extremely challenging mixed chorus piece.
The high register is particularly difficult, and it may require substantial practice to sing it beautifully without tightening the throat.
In addition, parts of the melody use distinctive intervals, so care is needed to stay in tune.
Pay close attention to the finer details, and why not take on the challenge of this piece?
I can hear silence.Matsumoto Nozomi
A gem of a choral piece by Nozomi Matsumoto that listens to the voice of the heart in the midst of silence.
Its delicate harmonies and richly expressive melody beautifully convey feelings beyond words.
Chosen as the set piece for the High School Division of the 89th NHK All-Japan School Music Competition, it deeply moved many students.
The work is available in several versions, including mixed chorus (SATB) and three-part women’s chorus.
Sung together at important occasions such as choral competitions or graduation ceremonies, it is sure to create a moving stage that resonates in the hearts of listeners.