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[Choral Music] Recommended for Middle Schoolers! A Collection of Moving Choral Works & Choral Arrangements

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.

In junior high school, there are many opportunities to perform choral pieces as a class or grade.

Music classes, choir competitions, school events like entrance and graduation ceremonies, and more.

In particular, it seems that more schools are putting effort into choir competitions.

However, when you want to “deliver a highly polished performance” or “choose songs that will stand out without overlapping with other classes,” selecting the repertoire can be difficult, and many teachers likely struggle with it every year.

In this article, we’ve picked out recommended choral pieces for junior high school students.

From classics to hidden gems, we’ll introduce moving works along with videos—please use them as a reference!

[Choir Pieces] Recommended for Middle School Students! A Collection of Moving Choral Works & Arrangements (71–80)

JourneyFuji Kaze

"Tabiji" by Fujii Kaze❣️ Okayama Joto High School Choir♪ The final scene is a "smile" expressing gratitude to our beloved senior, Kaze.

JourneyFuji Kaze

A song by Fujii Kaze that gently embraces the many experiences and emotions encountered along the long journey of life.

Created in March 2021 as the theme song for the TV Asahi drama Nijiiro Karte, it weaves in the acceptance of mistakes made in youth, an attitude of learning together, and a growing awareness of the value of everyday life.

Included on the album LOVE ALL SERVE ALL, the track reached No.

1 on the Billboard JAPAN Download Songs chart.

It’s highly recommended for high school students who, standing at life’s crossroads, want to reaffirm their bonds with friends through choral singing, as it closely resonates with the hearts of young people.

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AldebaranAI

Aldebaran / AI [Mixed Chorus in 3 Parts]

AldebaranAI

Aimer’s song “Aldebaran,” which was selected as the theme song for the NHK morning drama series Come Come Everybody and became a hot topic for moving listeners to tears.

It’s also known for having been written and composed by singer-songwriter Naotaro Moriyama.

This heartwarming piece is perfect as the theme for a drama whose three protagonists weave a 100-year story that stirred audiences.

It’s also a great choice as a choral piece that builds toward the end.

Arranging it for a three-part mixed chorus adds depth and impact, doesn’t it? By all means, try arranging it with your class and give it a go as a chorus.

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paprikaFoorin

paprika

paprikaFoorin

A song that gradually gained popularity from around 2018 and finally made it to the 2019 NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen.

It’s a recommended piece because all middle schoolers already know it, so there’s no need to learn it from scratch.

Even schools with little practice time or few full rehearsals should be fine with “Paprika.”

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BoyhoodInoue Yosui

Boyhood [Choral Version]

BoyhoodInoue Yosui

A smash hit and signature song by Yosui Inoue that people will probably keep singing forever.

If you’re a middle school student, you can likely sing it in the original key.

Those with lower voices can really shine in the B-melody chorus, too.

The gentle melody makes it approachable even for students not used to choral singing.

A highly recommended song overflowing with nostalgia.

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cherrysupittsu

Spitz Cherry Chorus

cherrysupittsu

If you want to stand out from other classes with an element of surprise, how about performing a choral version of Spitz’s 1996 smash hit “Cherry”? Its brisk rhythm and poppy melody offer a different kind of charm from the usual choir repertoire.

However, there are also the unique challenges of pop music: mastering the intricately moving melody lines that weren’t written for large groups, and recreating the drum beat using only the piano.

Practice hard and deliver a perfect rendition of “Cherry”!

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