A Collection of Pop Hits for Wind Band: From Classics to Popular Medleys
What kind of pieces are performed at wind ensemble concerts?
Familiar pieces that have been passed down as club traditions and that year’s competition set pieces are common, but pop music is also essential for concerts.
It’s not just formal wind band works—Japanese and Western pop songs that everyone recognizes really get the crowd going!
In this article, we’ll introduce recommended pop tunes to perform with a wind ensemble.
We’ve selected a wide range, from the latest J-pop to classic staples and medleys arranged for wind band.
Popular songs usually have scores available, so no worries!
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- Youthful songs recommended as theme songs and openings for cultural and school festivals
- [Uplifting Songs] A curated selection of popular and latest tracks to energize your school cultural festivals!
- [History] A roundup of popular set pieces from the All-Japan Band Competition
- [Wind Ensemble] Recommended Western pop songs for concerts: timeless classics from every era
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- [March] A curated selection of classic marches and dazzling crowd-pleasers for concerts!
From Classics to Popular Medleys: A Collection of Pops to Energize with Wind Ensemble (41–50)
SeptemberEarth, Wind & Fire
Among the songs that really energize a wind ensemble concert, a perennial favorite is Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September.” Released in 1978, it’s known for a melody that sticks in your head after just one listen, and the chorus in particular lets performers and audience share a great sense of unity.
Since the original features a brass section, it really shines when played by a brass band.
Groove is everything in dance music, so when performing it, focus on how to faithfully recreate that groove.
phonyTsumiki
Tsumiki’s popular song “Phony,” originally by a Vocaloid producer, has a driving feel that might make you wonder if it would work for wind ensemble—but there’s no doubt it will hype the crowd.
It’s a certified crowd-pleaser.
The difficulty might be high, but the original atmosphere remains intact, and with the layers of multiple instruments characteristic of wind ensemble, the breadth and depth of the sound expand.
Rather than just being exciting, it may turn into a moving performance.
If the performers add clapping partway through, it will lift the energy even more—and it’s sure to spark handclaps from the audience as well.
Highly recommended.
Is there still anything that love can do?RADWIMPS
The theme song from director Makoto Shinkai’s film Weathering with You, released in July 2019.
Throughout the piece, the flute and piccolo take center stage, while the obligato lines for mid-range instruments like euphonium, horn, and trombone are also highly appealing.
Be sure to listen for the saxophone solo as well! This arrangement distills the grand worldview of this richly colored work and is a piece that resonates with many hearts.
The sign is BB Komachi
This is the signature song of the idol group B-Komachi from the anime “Oshi no Ko,” and anyone who’s seen the show will surely recognize it.
It’s crafted as a classic, up-tempo idol tune, guaranteed to get the crowd hyped even if they don’t already know the song! There’s also a section in the middle where the audience can clap along and shout, so if you explain that part before performing, you’ll be able to get the whole venue involved and have a great time!
dance hallMrs. GREEN APPLE
It’s common for concerts to be held as part of welcome or send-off parties, isn’t it? In that case, I recommend “Dance Hall,” a song that lifts listeners’ spirits.
It’s by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE and is also well known as the theme song for the morning news show Mezamashi 8.
The biggest highlight is the layered vocals in the final chorus, so keep an ear out for that.
By the way, the Osaka Toin High School Wind Ensemble performance that’s popular on YouTube adds some arrangement touches for an even more dazzling finish.
FlamingoYonezu Kenshi
This is a captivating piece featuring an arrangement that skillfully adapts the song’s mysterious atmosphere for wind ensemble.
The bass, which serves as the backbone of the track, and the grand development of the chorus faithful to the original are both effectively expressed.
As a wind ensemble arrangement, it also brings out the distinct flavor of a Japanese song influenced by Black music.
The swelling of the chorus and the way dynamics are shaped elsewhere make for an intriguing arrangement.
A Cruel Angel’s ThesisTakahashi Yoko
Yoko Takahashi’s “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” is a staple in the wind band world.
It opens with a saxophone solo that’s both cool and sweet in tone, then surges to a climax at the drummer’s cue.
The arrangement makes not only the melody but also the call-and-response lines and rhythms sound stylish.
Every instrument gets a spotlight moment, making it a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that will get the whole venue fired up.