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 free selections and concert programs! Introducing famous and classic wind band favorites (21–30)

from the musical Les MisérablesClaude-Michel Schönberg

From the musical Les Misérables [Wind Band] / Schönberg (arr. Kazuhiro Morita) (Large Ensemble / Grade 5) / Performance: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Central Band / Conductor: Lieutenant Colonel Akira Takeda / Wind Band Work COMS-85071 [Full Recording]

from the musical Les MisérablesClaude-Michel Schönberg

A medley of songs from the musical Les Misérables.

Following the flow of the famous story, it condenses the narrative without compromising its grand worldview.

The richly varied wind ensemble timbres and shifting tempos feel like scene changes, letting you fully savor the world of Les Misérables.

“I Dreamed a Dream” is also famous for having been sung by Susan Boyle at her audition.

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The Star-Spangled Banner ForeverJohn Philip Sousa

The Stars and Stripes Forever

The Star-Spangled Banner ForeverJohn Philip Sousa

Known as one of John Philip Sousa’s signature works, “The Stars and Stripes Forever” is a popular march in the wind band repertoire.

Since marches are very often set as required pieces in band competitions, many ensembles perform this piece outside the competition season to practice marching style.

It’s also a staple encore selection at regular concerts.

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Great for free-choice pieces and concert programs! Introducing famous and classic favorites of wind band music (31–40)

Theme of Lupin the ThirdŌno Yūji

Oedo Wind Orchestra – Lupin the Third Theme

Theme of Lupin the ThirdŌno Yūji

A guaranteed crowd-pleaser that’s performed at a variety of concerts.

With a cool jazz arrangement, it’s lively right from the start.

As you’d expect from a jazz take, the saxophones and brass are in the spotlight throughout, but the real highlight is the solos! These stylized solos are a key element that take the performance’s excitement to the next level.

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Folk Tale for Wind EnsembleJim Andy Caudill

Folktale for Wind Ensemble [Concert Band]

Folk Tale for Wind EnsembleJim Andy Caudill

The piece begins with a crash cymbal and mid-to-low register instruments, gradually adding woodwinds and then trumpets to create a sense of dynamics.

Technically, it doesn’t demand anything too difficult, making it a very clear and easy-to-listen-to composition.

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Armenian Dances, Part 1Alfred Reed

Armenian Dances Part 1 / Alfred Reed — Armenian Dances Part 1, Ryukoku University Wind Ensemble

Armenian Dances, Part 1Alfred Reed

Armenian Dances is known as one of Alfred Reed’s signature works; he composed many pieces for wind band.

Although the piece is a suite divided into Part 1 and Part 2, many ensembles choose to perform Part 1 at wind band competitions because of its rich variety of musical character.

In Part 1, the final section in particular really raises the performers’ energy.

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First Suite for Wind EnsembleGustav Holst

First Suite in E-flat for Military Band (Gustav Holst)

First Suite for Wind EnsembleGustav Holst

This is a wind band suite composed by the British composer Gustav Holst—known for works such as the orchestral suite The Planets.

Holst wrote several suites for wind band, and among them this piece is one of the most important and well-known classical concert works in the wind band repertoire.

It was originally written for wind band, not arranged later, so its perfectly crafted details are truly beautiful.

It can be performed by as few as 19 players, including percussion, so even smaller ensembles should definitely give it a try.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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RiverdanceBill Whelan

Riverdance [Wind Band] / Bill Whelan (Arranged by Tomohiro Tatebe) (Large Ensemble / Grade 4) / Riverdance / Bill Whelan / Performed by: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Central Band Wind Band Work COMS-85102

RiverdanceBill Whelan

A wind band arrangement compiling music from the stage production Riverdance, which centers on tap dance and Irish music.

Its lively, nostalgic melodies—mainly in 6/8 and 7/8 time—are popular.

Although it isn’t an easy piece, it was once a trend as a free-choice selection in competitions.

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