Perfect for free selections and concert programs! Introducing famous and classic favorites in wind ensemble music.
Members of school wind bands often get frequent chances to perform in public—at competitions (free-choice pieces), regular concerts, baseball game rallies, and even sports days! And every time, choosing the repertoire is the big headache.
Besides classic wind band standards and trending Japanese pop arrangements, if it’s a free-choice piece for a competition, you also want something that shows off your ensemble’s strengths—so when you think through everything, it can be hard to land on “this is it.” In this article, we’ll introduce a wealth of recommended wind band pieces that will surely help if you’re feeling stuck.
We’ve picked out a wide range—from dazzling numbers across various genres to stylish and cool pieces—so please find works that make you think, “We want to perform this!”
- Recommended pieces for a wind band contest
- A Collection of Pop Hits for Wind Band: From Classics to Popular Medleys
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- [History] A roundup of popular set pieces from the All-Japan Band Competition
- [Brass/Wind Band] Recommended for Beginners! A Collection of Classics and Popular Pieces Perfect for Practice
- [March] A curated selection of classic marches and dazzling crowd-pleasers for concerts!
- [Wind Band] Guaranteed to hype up the school festival! Recommended pieces the brass band will want to play
- [Uplifting Songs] A curated selection of popular and latest tracks to energize your school cultural festivals!
- A collection of video game music I want to perform in a wind ensemble
- Wind Ensemble: Brass Band Pieces Popular with Girls. Masterpieces of Wind Music Recommended for Women.
- Songs with cool trumpet. Introducing famous pieces from wind ensemble and jazz.
- [Wind Ensemble] Wind band pieces that men like. Masterpieces of wind band music recommended for men.
- [Wind Ensemble] Recommended Western pop songs for concerts: timeless classics from every era
For free selections and concert programming! Introducing famous and classic popular wind band pieces (81–90)
When the Saints Go Marching InLouis Armstrong
“When the Saints Go Marching In” is a staple of wind band repertoire and is almost always included in beginner brass method books.
Originally an African American spiritual, it’s also known as a Dixieland jazz number and has been performed by countless musicians.
It became especially famous after Louis Armstrong and Danny Kaye sang it in the 1960 American film The Five Pennies.
SenbonzakuraKurousa-P
Senbonzakura is a song with a distinctive melody and rhythmic sound that continues to be loved by a wide audience.
While it features a fast tempo and dynamic development, it offers both fun and challenge in wind ensemble performance as well.
For this piece by Kurousa-P, the trick is to start by lowering the tempo and gradually approach the original speed as you hone your technique.
Improving fingerings and rhythmic accuracy will significantly elevate the quality of the performance.
With covers and arrangements using traditional Japanese instruments, even more combinations become possible, allowing you to enjoy a rich variety of timbres.
It’s a piece that captivates audiences and is also a recommended choice for boosting your own skills.
March “Pegasus’s Dream”Minakuchi Toru
March “Pegasus no Yume” (“Pegasus’s Dream”), which was also selected as a required piece for the 2023 All-Japan Band Competition.
This work is by Toru Mizuguchi, who is active as a trumpeter and as a songwriter/composer.
He reportedly wrote it with the idea of encouraging performers to incorporate self-expression within the repeated rhythms typical of a march.
A major feature is that there are no solo parts.
Overall, it conveys a stately and majestic impression, so it could work well for entrances and exits.
Passion Continent CollectionHakasé Tarō
A medley of Etopirika, the ending theme, and Jonetsu Tairiku, the main theme, from the human-interest documentary series Jonetsu Tairiku, which has aired since 1998.
Both pieces, composed by world-renowned violinist Taro Hakase, are arranged here for wind band.
The music transitions seamlessly from the pure, deeply moving sound of Etopirika to the dramatic Jonetsu Tairiku that naturally makes you want to tap along, resulting in a captivating work that grips the listener’s heart to the very end.
Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral from the opera LohengrinRichard Wagner
This is the piece from the wedding ceremony scene in Act 3 of Richard Wagner’s opera Lohengrin.
There are many wind band arrangements, and it is often selected as a free-choice piece in competitions.
It opens with a striking flute solo, and the solemn chorale gradually unfolds—an absolute must-listen.
Armenian Dance, Part 2Alfred Reed
A work by Mr.
A.
Reed.
It consists of three parts—Appeal of the Peasants, Wedding Dance, and Song for Lorie—each exhibiting a distinct color befitting its theme.
In wind band competitions, Song for Lorie is often performed and is characterized by its lively rhythms.
Great picks for free selections and concert programs! Introducing classic and popular masterpieces of wind band music (91–100)
Daphnis and ChloeJoseph-Maurice Ravel
Daphnis and Chloe is a love story between two young people in mythic times, written around the 3rd century by the Greek author Longus.
At the request of Sergei Diaghilev, leader of the Ballets Russes, Ravel composed a ballet score based on this tale.
Dawn vividly portrays a blissful sense of light gradually breaking through the morning mist, while General Dance conveys tension with its danceable five-beat rhythm and brisk triplets.
