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

Somewhere on this EarthSakushi: Miura Keiko, Sakkyoku: Wakamatsu Kan

[Chorus] Somewhere on This Earth (with lyrics)

“Somewhere on This Earth” is a moving choral piece that sings of ourselves and our friends as we change, and of the bonds of the heart that remain unchanged.

The lyrics carry a hopeful message that we are connected even when we are apart, making it a very fitting song for elementary and middle school graduation ceremonies.

Keiko Miura’s gentle words are warm and approachable, and Kan Wakamatsu’s beautiful melodic lines resonate deeply.

Since its release in 1998, this song has been loved for many years—why not sing it with gratitude for someone dear to you?

To tomorrowTomioka Hiroshi

Lyrics and composition by Hiroshi Tomioka / To Tomorrow

A choral piece composed by a junior high school teacher.

It features a comfortable rhythm and a beautiful melody.

While it expresses anxiety about an uncertain future, the lyrics leave a strong impression with their powerful message: “Even so, let’s believe in tomorrow and move forward,” conveying a resolute, positive stance.

ultramarineSakushi: Minamisōma Shiritsu Ogataka Chūgakkō Heisei Nijūyon Nendo Sotsugyōsei / Oda Miki / Sakkyoku: Nobunaga Takutomi

Gunjou [Mixed Chorus, Four-Part Version]

A moving choral piece that unites the hearts of students separated in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake.

It was created by the 2012 graduates of Odaka Junior High School in Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, together with the composer Takafumi Nobunaga.

Centered on the feelings of students forced to live as evacuees, and on the themes of recovery from the disaster and the bonds between people, this work sings of hope for the future and is perfect for choral performances at cultural and school festivals.

It’s an ideal song for bringing hearts together across classes and grades, sharing cherished feelings through voices joined in song.

Believesakushi: tanikawa shuntarō, sakkyoku: matsushita kō

Believe [Mixed Choir, 4-part] (Ko Matsushita) - Little Spirits

Shuntaro Tanikawa wrote the lyrics and Ko Matsushita composed “Shinjiru” (“Believe”), a piece specially created as the set work for the Junior High School Division of the 71st NHK All-Japan School Music Competition.

Tanikawa’s desire to express the deepest core of what it means to “believe” is embedded in the lyrics.

The powerful chorus that builds toward the end is deeply moving.

Among the many set pieces over the years, it remains especially popular and continues to be performed even after the competition, at junior high school choral contests and graduation ceremonies—truly a beloved classic.

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Hamada Takuya

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Let’s search for tomorrowSakushi: Hori Tetsu sakushi, sakkyoku: Osawa Tetsunori

Let’s search for tomorrow ﾚｯﾂ ｻｰﾁ ﾌｫｰ ﾄｩﾓﾛｰ

One of the choral standards, “Let’s Search for Tomorrow.” It’s a bright choral piece filled with hope and dreams for tomorrow.

The melody jumps up in the chorus, so try singing with the image of your voice stretching upward.

With many repeated phrases and an easy-to-follow rhythm, it’s also recommended for those who aren’t confident singers.

It’s a piece that evokes a sense of anticipation for the future to come.

Precious thingsYamazaki Tomoko

[Chorus] Important Things (Mixed Three-Part)

This choral piece, with lyrics and music by Tomoko Yamazaki, is notable for its soothing melody.

The lyrics, which evoke a look back on cherished memories, have made it popular not only for competitions but also as a graduation song.

Carried by a gentle tune, it sings of the enduring bonds with friends who remain unforgettable even when far apart, inviting listeners to reflect on the importance of friendship.

Letter ~Dear fifteen-year-old you~Anjura Aki

Letter ~Dear You at Fifteen~ Eng sub (Have a Song on Your Lips)

A song that is becoming a new staple of choral music is Angela Aki’s “Tegami: Haikei Jūgo no Kimi e” (“Letter: To My Fifteen-Year-Old Self”).

It was written as the set piece for the junior high division of the 2008 NHK All-Japan School Music Competition, and has continued to be sung at elementary and junior high school graduation ceremonies even after the competition.

NHK also aired a documentary featuring Angela Aki’s interactions with the junior high students who performed the song at the choral contest, and in 2015 it was adapted into a film starring Yui Aragaki.

Known for its powerful, message-driven lyrics, it’s a song you’ll want to sing while savoring every word.

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Hamada Takuya

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