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

Wandering peopleNEW!Sakushi: Ishikura Kozaburō / Sakkyoku: Robert Schumann

[Chorus] The Wandering People (with lyrics)

A choral work composed in October 1840 by Robert Schumann, a leading figure of German Romanticism.

Later, lyrics translated by Kozaburo Ishikura were added, and it has long been cherished and sung in Japan as a classic.

The dynamism and poignancy of travelers in a foreign land, as depicted in the original poem, are exquisitely rendered in elevated, classical-style Japanese.

Set to a galloping tempo and crackling, fire-like accompaniment, it is powerfully sung in mixed chorus (SATB), making the difficulty relatively high.

The exhilarating momentum created by the rapid flow of words is deeply satisfying, and it is recommended for junior high school students who want to wow listeners at choral competitions.

Be mindful of the resonance of the words as you craft a tightly blended harmony.

City of Frost-Covered TreesNEW!Sakushi: Takeoka Norio / Sakkyoku: Yatabe Hiroshi

[Choral Piece] City of Rime Ice / Three-Part Mixed Chorus [With Lyrics]

A piece that paints a poetic world where the chill of a snowy country intersects with the breath of the city.

With lyrics by Norio Takeoka and music by Hiroshi Yatabe, it is a three-part mixed chorus work published in 1980 by Ongaku no Tomo Sha.

It garnered broad support as a free-choice piece at competitions in 1980 and 1983, and has continued to be sung for many years, including recent inclusion on albums of choral works.

Marked by the shading of a minor key, this work poses a challenge in controlling tone color to express, in a three-dimensional way, the expansion from the initial sparkle to the distant panorama.

It’s a profoundly rich masterpiece, perfect for choirs seeking to pursue luxuriant resonance and harmonic sensibility.

Resonating LivesNEW!Sakushi: Nishibe Toshihiko / Sakkyoku: Mizuki Kaoru

[Choral Piece] Resonating Lives with Lyrics

This work features a dramatic structure in which scenes shift one after another like a series of paintings.

It is a three-part mixed chorus piece with lyrics by Toshihiko Seibu and music by Kaoru Mizuki.

Since its release as a supplementary score in an educational music magazine in October 2008, it has been sung at school events across the country.

Its appeal lies in a grand worldview that evokes the interconnectedness and expansiveness of life, but a challenging aspect is conveying the delicate contrast between the accompaniment and the chorus.

Because the atmosphere changes significantly from scene to scene, adjusting vocal color and sense of tempo to match each change in musical character is essential.

Cultivate rich expressive power and let beautiful harmonies that move listeners’ hearts resonate throughout the hall.

The Bell of PeaceNEW!Sakushi • Sakkyoku: Nakazato Yukihiro

Yukihiro Nakazato / Bell of Peace (HEIWA)

Composed and written by Yukihiro Nakazato, this work is his first solo single, released in May 2000.

It was later arranged for chorus by Tetsuya Shiraishi and has been sung in schools across Japan, even being included in music textbooks starting in 2005.

Beyond expressing sorrow, it carries a forward-looking message of linking peace into the future.

The piece is characterized by an Okinawan-style rhythmic feel and a dynamic melody.

It is a powerful song that resonates with junior high school students in various settings—peace education, graduation ceremonies, and choral competitions.

Why not have your class come together and sing it with hopes for the future?

To the next skyNEW!Sakushi Sakkyoku: Yugeda Kensuke

Choral Song for the Risshi Ceremony and Graduation Ceremony “To the Next Sky” | Kensuke Yugeda

This is a perfect choral piece for rites of resolution and graduation ceremonies that express gratitude and determination.

Kensuke Yugeda, a choral composer, wrote both the lyrics and the music.

Released in March 2015, the song remains highly popular in schools today.

Yugeda has performed over 2,000 concerts at schools nationwide, and the insights he gained there are said to be reflected in his work.

The lyrics, filled with a forward-looking spirit toward the future and gratitude for family and friends, are sure to resonate.

This piece is recommended for junior high school choral contests and farewell ceremonies for graduating students.

forever; for good; indefinitelyNEW!Sakushi sakkyoku: Wakamatsu Kan

EMG3-0179 Forever [Mixed 3-Part Chorus]

A three-part mixed chorus piece overflowing with lyrical charm that has long been loved in the field as a staple of school choirs.

Composed by Kan Wakamatsu, it was released in 2007 as part of a choral collection, and later reissued in April 2019 as a choral score for the general public.

Its warm melody, themed around the unchanging scenery of one’s hometown and feelings for family, resonates deeply.

It also boasts a solid track record, including a televised performance by junior high school students in 2012.

This work is recommended for those who wish to sing freely and express their gratitude at important milestone events such as graduation ceremonies.

Carrying YouNEW!sakushi: miyazaki hayao / sakkyoku: hishashi jō

Carrying You [Iwate University Choir]

This is a renowned song that graces the ending of Castle in the Sky, the first feature-length animated film produced by Studio Ghibli.

Released in August 1986 as the closing piece of a tie-in work, it left audiences with a profound afterglow.

It is also included on the album Castle in the Sky Soundtrack: The Mystery of the Levitation Stone, released the same month.

Based on notes written by Hayao Miyazaki, Joe Hisaishi, Isao Takahata, and others organized and completed the piece to fit the melody.

Its nostalgic tune and universal theme of setting out on a journey make it perfect for choral performance.

Even adults feel a deep poignancy when listening, and it’s an ideal song for uniting a class in song.

It’s a piece that junior high school students aiming for a polished performance should definitely try.