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!
- Perfect for free selections and concert programs! Introducing famous and classic favorites in wind ensemble music.
- A classic brass band medley
- [Wind Band] Guaranteed to hype up the school festival! Recommended pieces the brass band will want to play
- [J-POP] For those who want to listen to everything! A compilation of medleys by popular artists
- A popular anime song medley. Classic and popular anime songs.
- A collection of video game music I want to perform in a wind ensemble
- [Brass/Wind Band] Recommended for Beginners! A Collection of Classics and Popular Pieces Perfect for Practice
- 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
- Recommended pieces for a wind band contest
- [March] A curated selection of classic marches and dazzling crowd-pleasers for concerts!
From Classics to Popular Medleys: A Collection of Pops that Excite in Wind Band (51–60)
Spot the differenceSuda Masaki
Masaki Suda’s “Machigai Sagashi” begins quietly with a saxophone solo.
The texture gradually thickens as more instruments join, building excitement before handing the melody to the trumpet.
One of the highlights is the soli passages that cross between different instrument sections.
Be sure to listen for the trombone and flute solos as well! It’s an arrangement that captures the cool, characteristic sound of wind ensemble while retaining the original song’s wistful atmosphere.
A Member of the Fire BrigadeRATS&STAR
From start to finish, Rats & Star’s “Megumi no Hito” is just irresistibly cool.
It carries a jazzy vibe, so the saxophone and trumpet melodies really shine.
The glockenspiel and piccolo tones give the whole piece a crisp, tight feel.
It’s a song that showcases not only the main melody but also the low-register instruments.
The arrangement makes you want to clap along without thinking!
Official HIGE DANDism MedleyOfisharu Higedan Dism
Don’t you want to perform songs by Official HIGE DANDism, a huge sensation in the J-POP scene, at your concert? And if you’re going to play them, why stop at just one—wouldn’t you rather showcase a whole set of their hits at once? This medley is perfect for that! Packed with their popular songs—No Doubt, Shukumei, Yesterday, and Pretender—this medley comes highly recommended! Hige Dandy’s tracks are all so refined and stylish, and performing them with a wind ensemble will make them sound even more polished and beautiful.
Let’s Swing!!Yamazato Sawako
This piece is beloved as a staple of wind ensemble concerts.
Set to a swinging jazz rhythm, it’s a captivating work that delights audiences.
Its light, energetic performance brings listeners a boost of spirit and vitality.
The solo sections—showcasing the unique character of instruments like alto saxophone, flute, and trumpet—are a particular highlight.
Arranged as a medley of three songs featured in the film “Swing Girls,” it includes “Make Her Mine,” “Comin’ Through the Rye,” and “Sing, Sing, Sing.”
[From Classics to Popular Medleys] A Collection of Pops to Energize Your Wind Band (61–70)
paprikaFoorin
A song by Foorin created as a cheer song for the NHK 2020 Cheer Song Project.
It was also performed at the 70th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen in 2019, so many of you may already know it.
The drums keep a steady beat throughout, while various sections weave the melody through unison and solo parts.
It’s a piece that works well either showcasing each solo or being performed together with dance!
U.S.A.DA PUMP
DA PUMP’s “U.S.A.” kicks off with a shout.
It’s upbeat, with an arrangement that gives both the woodwinds and brass their moments to shine.
There’s also a cool saxophone solo in the middle! It’s a crowd-pleaser that gets even more exciting with staging, like performing it together with dance.
Hyping up the audience might be a great idea, too.
Doraemon: Make My Dreams Come Truemao
Mao’s “Yume wo Kanaete Doraemon,” which has been used as the opening theme for the anime Doraemon since 2007.
I bet most of you have heard it at least once, right? When you listen to this lively and adorable melody, you can’t help but picture Doraemon’s smiling face.
Be sure to pay attention to the xylophone solo in the middle! It’s a song that warms your heart.