Wonderful wind ensemble

Perfect for free selections and concert programs! Introducing famous and classic favorites in wind ensemble music.

Graduated from a music school / 21 years of piano experiencesatomi
I began playing the piano at the age of four and spent six years at a conservatory, focusing mainly on classical music while honing my skills. In addition to solo performance, I studied extensively in chamber music and two-piano repertoire, and I had the opportunity to perform twice on stage as a soloist in piano concertos. While not to the same extent as classical, I also learned jazz and pop through practical performance. I was active as a pianist in various settings, including instrumental and vocal/choral accompaniment, performance assistance for other departments, and recording sessions. Beyond the piano, I devoted five years to the trombone in a wind ensemble. I hope to draw on these experiences to share the charm of music with many people.
Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

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!”

For your free-choice pieces and concert programs! Introducing classic masterpieces and popular standards for wind ensemble (131–140)

Symphonic Three MovementsJames Curnow

[Wind Ensemble] Symphonic Episodes by James Curnow

Symphonic Three MovementsJames Curnow

It is a three-movement piece: the first movement begins with a solemn fanfare for the middle-to-low brass, the second movement is an intermezzo-like section that links brief solos from each instrument, and the third movement is a valiant march.

Although it is not performed frequently, it enjoys great popularity as a hidden gem.

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Song of WalesAlbert Oliver Davis

Song of Wales (Suite)

Song of WalesAlbert Oliver Davis

This piece was composed by the American composer and arranger Albert Oliver Davis.

It is based on three folk songs from Wales, which occupies the southwestern part of Great Britain as one of the nations of the United Kingdom, and is structured in three movements.

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Path of the wavesSakai Itaru

Path of the Waves — Itaru Sakai

Path of the wavesSakai Itaru

This piece was commissioned and composed in 2006 as a free-choice work for Ryukoku University’s competition.

Various scenes of waves are depicted through different instruments and ensemble melodies, particularly through rapid-note figures, and there are numerous solos and soli across individual instruments.

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AmethystFuyuno Yumi

Amethyst – Theme Song of the NHK Taiga Drama “Hikaru Kimi e,” Special Supplement to Band Journal, June 2024 Issue

AmethystFuyuno Yumi

The main theme of the NHK Taiga drama “Hikaru Kimi e,” composed by Yumi Fuyuno, is a piano concerto that is both elegant and resplendent.

Its melody unfolds like a Heian-era picture scroll—truly striking.

With the NHK Symphony Orchestra conducted by Junichi Hirokami providing the backdrop, Kyohei Sorita delivers a brilliant piano performance.

Through Fuyuno’s characteristically meticulous arrangements, the drama’s narrative and the music are beautifully fused.

This piece also shines in wind band arrangements—an exquisite work that evokes the atmosphere of traditional performing arts while breathing with a modern pulse.

It’s a piece we’d love to see performed by both drama fans and wind ensemble enthusiasts.

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Mambo of the BullfighterPerez Prado

Mambo of the Matador — Macarena, Toru Arima, Noche Cubana leader Mikihiko Awaya, 2016

Mambo of the BullfighterPerez Prado

The popular pops standard for wind bands, “Mambo of the Matadors,” is full of fun call-and-response shouts.

It’s a hit by Cuban composer Pérez Prado, who also wrote the world-famous “Mambo No.

5” and earned the nickname “King of Mambo” for his many chart-toppers.

“Mambo of the Matadors” has also enjoyed great popularity and is a crowd-pleaser in pops segments of regular concerts and performances.

It’s a piece that sounds cool even when played a bit loosely rather than strictly on the beat, so take your time with the phrasing and perform it with plenty of mood.

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Toys ParadeHirayama Yūichi

[Main Feature] 2020 (21) All-Japan Band Competition Required Piece I: Toy’s Parade

Toys ParadeHirayama Yūichi

This is one of the set pieces for the 2020 All-Japan Band Competition, which was unfortunately canceled due to the impact of COVID-19.

Among those set pieces, this one is particularly popular.

It’s divided into a section with a lively, march-like rhythm that stands out, and another where you can fully appreciate the beauty of wind instruments.

In particular, the march section features a melody that conveys a sense of charm, enhanced by elements like trombone glissandi and trills in the flute and clarinet that further color the character of the melody.

Incidentally, the 2020 set pieces, including this one, were carried over and used as the set pieces for 2021 as well.

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In The MoodJoe Garland

Wind Band Hit: In the Mood

In The MoodJoe Garland

Composed by saxophonist Joe Garland and made even more famous by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, this piece is a quintessential jazz standard, beloved worldwide as a signature big band repertoire.

Its bright, upbeat feel makes it a popular choice for a wide range of performances.

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