[Brass/Wind Band] Recommended for Beginners! A Collection of Classics and Popular Pieces Perfect for Practice
Many people have probably developed a longing for wind ensemble music through visual works like the popular anime Sound! Euphonium.
Some may have discovered the appeal of wind ensembles as adults, bought an instrument and started taking lessons, or formed a brass band with friends to enjoy on weekends.
In this article, we’ve gathered classic pieces considered “beginner-friendly” among the popular works performed by wind ensembles.
It should be helpful for those with no prior experience playing an instrument, and for those who were in a wind ensemble during their school days, it may feel nostalgic.
Enjoy this selection of charming wind ensemble works that feel familiar and inviting!
Playlist
| [Brass/Wind Band] Recommended for Beginners! A Collection of Classics and Popular Pieces Perfect for Practice | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| show_chart | Title | Playlist | Review |
| 1 | Omens of LoveT-SQUARE |  play_arrow | One of Japan’s leading instrumental ban… |
| 2 | ArsenalJan Van der Roost |  play_arrow | A Belgian-born composer who is active on the global stage… |
| 3 | Galaxy Express 999Godaigo |  play_arrow | A rock hit with the theme song of Galaxy Express 999 |
| 4 | Overture from Dragon Quest I for Wind BandSakkyoku: Sugiyama Kouichi / Henkyoku: Majima Toshio |  play_arrow | A wind band arrangement of video game music |
| 5 | El CumbancheroRafael Fernandes |  play_arrow | Composer from Puerto Rico, Rafael E... |
| 6 | Moonlight SerenadeGlenn Miller |  play_arrow | Glenn Miller’s classic Moonlight Serenade |
| 7 | CenturiaJames Swearingen |  play_arrow | For wind band enthusiasts, a familiar great... |
| 8 | Cinema ParadisoEnnio Morricone |  play_arrow | Masterpieces of orchestral film music |
| 9 | In the MoodGlenn Miller |  play_arrow | A classic swing jazz piece by Glenn Miller |
| 10 | The Washington PostJohn Philip Sousa |  play_arrow | A lively rhythm sets the heart dancing in a brass band march... |
| 11 | Suite ‘Space Battleship Yamato’Miyakawa Tai |  | A wind band masterpiece inspired by iron |
| 12 | El CapitanJohn Philip Sousa |  play_arrow | Sousa’s magnificent masterpiece of a march |
| 13 | Overture “Carnival of the Rose”Joseph Olivadoti |  play_arrow | Olivadoti’s famous wind ensemble piece |
| 14 | Theme from Mission: ImpossibleLalo Schifrin |  play_arrow | Arrange a spy theme for wind ensemble |
| 15 | Variations on ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’Ishige Rika |  play_arrow | A wind ensemble piece arranged from a French folk song |
| 16 | Folk Tale for Wind EnsembleJim Andy Caudill |  play_arrow | The grand melody is extremely well-suited to concert band… |
| 17 | Ancient FlowerNishimura Yukiko |  play_arrow | The ballad pieces crafted by Yukiko Nishimura are… |
| 18 | RaijinJohn Philip Sousa |  play_arrow | The Appeal and History of Sousa’s March Music |
| 19 | March ‘The National Emblem’Edwin Eugene Bagley |  play_arrow | The birth of Bagley’s renowned march |
| 20 | Dance of the Wind for Wind EnsembleFukuda Yosuke |  play_arrow | Composes and arranges music across all artistic fields… |
| 21 | Treasure IslandT-SQUARE |  play_arrow | The lively, samba-like rhythm is so much fun… |
| 22 | A grassland swaying in the windShimoda Kazuki |  play_arrow | A wind ensemble piece depicting a grassland scene |
| 23 | The Star-Spangled Banner ForeverJohn Philip Sousa |  play_arrow | Former United States Marine Band Director John Fi... |
| 24 | Deep Purple MedleyHenchoku: Sahashi Toshihiko |  play_arrow | A wind band medley that fuses three Deep Purple songs |
| 25 | Song of the Great PrairieRex Mitchell |  play_arrow | It evokes a scene of richly unfolding natural landscapes... |
| 26 | Overture to AlcobacaJames Barnes |  play_arrow | It was grand and powerful right from the start, and impres... |
| 27 | African SymphonyVan McCoy |  play_arrow | One of the powerful cheering songs that resound at Koshien in high school baseball… |
| 28 | Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom MenaceJ.Williams |  play_arrow | The trumpet has a slightly complex melodic structure... |
| 29 | Sing, Sing, SingIwai Naohaku |  play_arrow | Used in the movie “Swing Girls”… |
| 30 | Disney’s Fantillusion!Hoshide Takashi |  play_arrow | "Disney Fa..." composed by Takashi Hoshide |
| 31 | Suite on Celtic Folk Songs: Celtic RhapsodyTatabe Tomohiro |  play_arrow | It consists of three movements arranged from Celtic folk songs… |
| 32 | When the Saints Go Marching In |  play_arrow | Something everyone, from children to adults, has heard at least once... |
| 33 | Three American landscapesHirose Hayato |  play_arrow | The state of affairs during the American Westward Expansion in the 19th century… |
| 34 | The Sea I Saw SomedayAdachi Tadashi |  play_arrow | From the very beginning, it’s so powerful it evokes a sense of adventure… |
| 35 | Star Puzzle MarchKonagaya Soichi |  play_arrow | They’ve used twinkling stars here and there, which feels very familia… |
| 36 | Theme of Lupin the ThirdŌno Yūji |  play_arrow | An iconic anime song that people of all ages know... |
| 37 | Disney’s Fantillusion!Bruce Healey |  play_arrow | The Electrical Parade at Disneyland… |
| 38 | A Trumpeter’s HolidayLeroy Anderson |  play_arrow | It’s a song you often hear at sports days during races and the like... |
| 39 | Five Court DancesUiriamu Bureido |  play_arrow | This piece was composed by William Blade... |
| 40 | Four seascapesBurai-an Barumeijizu |  play_arrow | Composer Brian Balmages is pro… |
| 41 | Path of the Pegasus ~ for Wind Band (2008 Contest Piece IV)Kataoka Hiroaki |  play_arrow | A wind ensemble piece that depicts the story of Pegasus |
| 42 | Polovtsian Dances from the opera Prince IgorAlexander Borodin |  play_arrow | Alexandre Bo..., who is also renowned as a scientist, |
| 43 | JupiterGustav Holst |  play_arrow | The British composer Gustav Holst compo... |
| 44 | Passion Continent CollectionHakasé Tarō |  play_arrow | Taro Hakase, who is very famous as a Japanese musician... |
| 45 | SedonaSteven Reinek |  play_arrow | A masterpiece of program music depicting the landscapes of Arizona |
| 46 | Carpenters ForeverJ.Raposo/P.Williams/R.Nichols/J.Bettis/R.Carpenter/H.David/B.Bacharach/L.Russell/B.Bramlett/F.Karlin/J.Griffin/R.Wilson |  play_arrow | A wind ensemble arrangement of Carpenters classics |
| 47 | Prelude for a Mythical Legend, 2006 Required Piece (I)Horiuchi Toshio |  play_arrow | Toshio Horiuchi’s grand, dramatic wind ensemble work |
| 48 | CopacabanaBarry Manilow |  play_arrow | It is often featured at wind ensemble concerts and as a cheer song for high school baseball... |
| 49 | TequilaChuck Rio |  play_arrow | An American rock and roll band... |
| 50 | From Snow White: Whistle While You Work — for introducing musical instrumentsFrank Churchill |  play_arrow | A hit number from Disney’s Snow White... |
| 51 | Magellan’s Challenge to the Unknown ContinentTarumiya Masanori |  play_arrow | An epic piece composed by Masanori Taruya that depicts adventures of the Age of Discovery |
| 52 | sea sprayKamioka Yoichi |  play_arrow | A somewhat Enka-like, Japanese-style melody, once… |
| 53 | Layla on the HillHoshide Takashi |  play_arrow | A wind ensemble piece rich in poetic sentiment and overflowing with emotion |
| 54 | First Suite for Wind EnsembleGustav Holst |  play_arrow | It consists of three movements, but compared to other pieces… |
| 55 | Rocky ThemeBill Conti |  play_arrow | The 1976 Hollywood film Rocky… |
| 56 | Dragon Quest Concert Selectionsugiyama kouichi |  play_arrow | A wind ensemble medley depicting a hero's tale |
| 57 | El Camino RealAlfred Reed |  play_arrow | A powerful, full-impact melody right from the start... |
| 58 | Procession to PeaceToda Akira |  play_arrow | The All-Japan Band Competition held in 2001… |
| 59 | Tanabata (Star Festival)Sakai Itaru |  play_arrow | Something you often hear at junior high and high school regular concerts... |
| 60 | Overture “Aetatis Novae”Kubo Tarō |  play_arrow | A lead-in to a tranquil song reminiscent of daybreak... |
| 61 | spring stormjohn |  play_arrow | A VOCALOID track that's super hyped right from the intro… |
| 62 | School HeavenFingā 5 |  play_arrow | Gakuen Tengoku is a popular piece in brass band music. |
| 63 | Overture “1812”Pyotr Tchaikovsky |  play_arrow | What it was like when Napoleon launched his campaign into Russia... |
| 64 | Waterside of Sorrow |  play_arrow | A Scottish folk song passed down since around the 17th century… |