[Elementary School Chorus Songs] A comprehensive showcase from moving masterpieces to the latest hit tunes!

TOMORROWLyrics and Composition: Sugimoto Ryūichi

[Choral Song] Tomorrow (Mixed Chorus, Three-Part) [3-Singer Version]

This song, beloved as the ending theme of NHK’s nature documentary program “Ikimono Chikyū Kikō” (A Journey of Life on Earth), is one of Ryuichi Sugimoto’s signature works as both lyricist and composer.

Released as a single in May 1993, it is also included on the album “Tomorrow — NHK ‘Ikimono Chikyū Kikō’ Soundtrack.” Its lyrics, which sing of hope for tomorrow while drawing on the grandeur of nature—like birds soaring in the sky and stardust in the night—leave a lasting impression and gently encourage the listener.

With a calm tempo and expansive melody, it’s perfect for choral performance and is sung in various arrangements, including two-part and mixed three-part choruses.

It has long been cherished as a standard song for graduation and farewell ceremonies, and when voices come together, it warmly colors any moment of departure.

COSMOSSakushi sakkyoku: Mimasu

Choral Piece: COSMOS / With Lyrics [High Quality]

This is a choral piece with a majestic atmosphere, depicting beautiful natural landscapes and a sense of gazing toward the distant universe.

Originally released as a song by the music unit Aquamarine, it was later arranged for three-part mixed chorus.

While the piece has a grand theme, its origins in pop music mean the lyrics are easy to understand, which is a major strength.

If building harmonies feels challenging, focusing on the canonic, imitative singing can make the choral performance enjoyable.

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kappamaki

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Please give me wingsMurai Kunihiko

Tsuda Gakuen Elementary School — “Tsubasa wo Kudasai”

The subject of this song is a woman confined to her sickbed.

Looking outside at the birds in flight, it portrays her heartfelt longing to “take off freely.” It conveys a deep wish for freedom rather than wealth or fame.

Because the melody sits in a range that is easy for elementary school children to sing, it is performed at many schools.

It’s also well-suited for the entire student body to sing together, which is another key point.

TomorrowSugimoto Ryuichi

Tomorrow Tokyo Tama Children's Choir 2014.05

“Tomorrow” is filled with dreams and hopes for the days ahead.

It was created by Ryuichi Sugimoto, the lyricist and composer famous for “BELIEVE.” The song was used as the ending theme for NHK’s animal program “Ikimono Chikyu Kikou” (Living Creatures: Earth Journey) and is often included in music textbooks.

While thinking about tomorrow and the future can bring anxiety, the lyrics encourage a positive outlook, suggesting that wonderful days are surely waiting.

It’s also recommended for graduation ceremonies, sung in anticipation of a bright future.

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SAKI

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To tomorrowTomioka Hiroshi

[Chorus] Toward Tomorrow (Mixed Three-Part)

This choral piece powerfully sings of hope and the challenge of stepping into the future.

Composed by Hiroshi Tomioka and released in 1996, it has become a popular song widely performed at junior high school chorus competitions.

It portrays young people moving forward, carried by the blue wind, undaunted by headwinds or storms.

The melody unfolds dramatically toward the latter half, stirring the emotions.

It’s a perfect song for anyone ready to take a step toward their dreams, so sing it with all your heart.

the world of dreamssakushi: furō akiko / sakkyoku: hashimoto shōji

the world of dreams

Memories of treading on fallen leaves, an avenue bathed in the glow of the setting sun, the chirping of small birds, and the clear scene of a babbling brook.

Interweaving these tangible touches of nature, this song calls on friends to share their dreams together.

Born from an NHK music program in the 1970s and later arranged as a choral piece, it was composed by Yoshimichi Hashimoto, who, while deeply involved in creating educational materials at Kyoiku Geijutsu Sha, left behind many works that balance singability with evocative imagery.

Its gentle, swaying 6/8 rhythm naturally supports a sense of walking and the flow of scenery, and the structure—expanding from unison in the first half to full chorus in the latter—is a highlight.

It is a song that quietly encourages children to take a new step on the special day of graduation, as they look back on memories with their friends.

Be happyYugeda Kensuke

Be Happy (Name Song) | Imari Elementary School

This is Kensuke Yugedate’s “Shiawase ni Naare” (“May You Be Happy”).

As the title suggests, it’s a song that sings about the feelings embedded in a name—given by parents or someone else—wishing for happiness.

The story goes that Kensuke Yugedate was moved by a poem about names recited by a drunk man he met on the street, and one day he felt as if he could hear the voices of various people he had met calling his name—that’s how this song came to be.

It’s a popular piece for chorus competitions, and I hope that even as children grow up, they will remember the love of those who call their names, just like Kensuke Yugedate does.