Did you usher Halloween swiftly out the door… only to have Christmas sneak in as quickly as Halloween left?
If you celebrate the holidays in your piano studio, you’ll know that nothing quite breaks up the long winter months like the Christmas season; carols, fun activities, parties, recitals, treats… for piano studentsย it just doesn’t get any better.
Capitalizing on this holiday excitement is a great way to inspire home practice and pump up the motivation and excitement in your studio.
So,ย as a couple of “Christmas Music Fanatics” we’re getting a head-start on the fun with the piece we’re sharing today!
A Printable Christmas Tune For Your Teens (Or For You!)
Today we wanted to kick off the season of giving (what can I say… piano teachers start early!) by sharing a show-stopping teen recital piece with all of our Teach Piano Today readers (the download is after the video).
Three Ships is a Christmas Pop Piano Solo that is destined to be a holiday favorite with your students. If you have students who are crazy about The Amadeus Anthems andย The Guardians of Arranmore, then this piece will be right in their wheelhouse.
And now… on to the music! Check out the video preview of “Three Ships”ย and then keep reading to find out how to download the sheet music.
If Three Ships sounds like just what you need for a rockin’ Christmas recital, it’s waiting for you in our teen piano music Facebook group! But not only is Three Ships there for free printing, but so is “Wolf”, “Pieces of 88” and our other Christmas solo “In The Bright Sky!” plus a ton of other teen-focussed resources. Click here to join and access group files.
But wait! We’d also love to hear from you in the comments below… What other piano pieces from Teach Piano Today or PianoBookClub will be making an appearance in your holiday recitals?
Trish Moore says
This is a great piece. Thank you. Also, have the November Piano Book Club selections gone out yet? I received my notification of payment but haven’t seen the pieces. Or am I dreaming…lol.
Andrea says
Hi Trish… just checked your subscription… your books get delivered on the 22nd of each month ๐ If you want them to come earlier, email me and I’ll change your renewal date. Have a great day!
Cami says
I love the piece and the video. I have an adult student who has a white piano and only likes to play upbeat music. This is perfect for her! I can’t wait to share the video and music with her. Thank you!
Barbara says
Beautiful!! Thanks so much for gifting it. I’m excited to play it myself.
Here’s the fun factor for my studio Christmas Concert this year: I have 3 students from one family. Two will be playing several of the duets from “Rollicking Reindeer” since one is at the intermediate level and can play the “teacher part”. But the fun will really kick in when the third sibling (only 6 years old) will come in during “Vixen” and add in some notes of her own! (Well, notes that we pick out in advance:) Hopefully the audience will love it.
Jean says
Beautiful arrangement! I would love to share the video and print option on my facebook page without sharing the entire blog post, is that possible? TIA for your help!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this blog! I read every post!
Have a great day!
Andrea says
Hi Jean – the youtube link is https://youtu.be/Sbnti0j9VFg which will let you share it.
The download link is: https://www.teachpianotoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Three-Ships.pdf
If you post these two links it should let you do it ๐
Jean says
Thank you.
Jean says
Please email me if ^ is possible ๐ Thank you so much!
Randi Jones says
Thank you so much! I am new to your book club, but already have students enjoying some of your songs especially “In the Woods” and the lead sheet “Boss”
Caitlin says
Beautiful piece! I will surely use it, my students live your music! Thank you for sharing it!
Caitlin says
I meant to write “love your music” sorry for the typo.
Andrea says
They can live the music too Caitlin! Both are equally flattering ๐ thank you!
Rachel says
This piece is awesome! I’ve already spent about two hours today playing it. Ok, I can’t manage the last half and it’s way slower than it’s supposed to be… but it’s awesome!
Paula says
Thank you this is one of my very favourite carols! My studio has a number of teen students – they’re such a wonderful group and age to teach. Your music has made teaching piano ever so much fun!! One student loving Vamp Battles and it will be performed in the near future. Thanks again, Paula
Tara says
This song is perfect for my teens for the holiday portion of the recital. Currently, my students are working on a variety of music for the recital. Everyone is required to make their own song thanks to Muttzart or Tinker. They are also adding background sounds and/or music to those songs by writing out parts or using different apps we have available. Some of the students are taking existing songs from the beat box manifesto and using the different sounds and beats from their own keyboards or apps to enhance the songs but to also keep the steady beat. I will say, practice time has sky rocketed when I told the students they could use the beats and sounds on their keyboards or apps (its been a great motivational tool and works PERFECT with the Beat Box Manifesto because they want to try out different beats and sounds to see which fits the best). Thanks again for everything!
Andrea says
I love the tune “I Saw Three Ships” and this is a great arrangement. Thanks so much!
Kimberly Wright says
I have no idea how you write so much music!!! But thank you! This is a beautiful piece and I love the video….. Must be your children in the snow. My students love Guardians of Aaranmore, Fearless Fortissimo, and the Silver Screen book.
Louise says
We just did the Trick or Treat ensemble piece at nursing home home recital, followed by four other “parent shows” in The studio last week. The favorite piece of everyone is this one. They all want to be narrator. Each participant wore a glow stick necklace. Please write more pieces in this style!
Andrea says
Hi Louise – do you mean the “soundscape” piece from The Bag O’Halloween Tricks book? Just wanting to be sure I know exactly what you’re requesting ๐
Louise says
Sorry I didn’t get the title right, Andrea. It was “the haunted house” from 2014. Narrator starts out, “there is an old abandoned house at the end of our road”
Leah Drake says
My next recital is a Fall Holiday recital in December, and I expect several of my students to choose “Monster Mash-up” for one of their recital pieces! We had a great time with Halloween in my studio this year, thanks to Andrea and Trevor!! With Christmas coming up right away, I can’t wait to show “Three Ships” to some of my teens. Maybe it will make the program too… ๐
Sarah says
Can’t wait to give this to one of my teens; Adventures of Fortissimo has captured one of my young students already! Thanks!!
Jamie says
I have one student learning Monster Mash-up! It is a great motivator for him. Thanks for the beautiful new piece!
Susanne Gravel says
It is not a holiday recital , but will be shortly afterwards, just as we Ontarians are entering our february Blahs season. We are planning a Mutterwumps segment with a few students being the chorus and reading the poems. We will draw names as to who gets to play which piece. The Finale will be awarded somehow…details still to be planned, but it be earned.
Jennifer-Anne creekmore says
Recital favorites are In the Woods and Faelan’s Theme. I have had two requests to play these at our holiday recital. The student said In the Woods could be as in “over the river and through the woods ” a Christmas song.
Amy Clovis says
Thanks for another great piece of music. You guys rock.
Perla Yates says
Such a neat piece!
Sarah Keating says
Andrea this piece is perfecto! I love Stings version of this song and we will be performing this at our carols concert this December. It would be so wonderful if you could do a duet arrangement of this piece with the primo being early elementary so the younger ones can enjoy too it’s fabulous well done!
Charley says
What a beautiful piece! Thank you for sharing and I look forward to using it. The video was beautiful too!
Diane U says
Awesome song! I know a certain 13-year-old girl who will be very happy! She played In the Woods last recital.
Tish says
This is my first Christmas arrangement from you. Just beginning to discover your music. Will definitely add this one to my list for the students to choose from.
Joy says
Thank you so much! I always love your ideas and everything you post!!! MUCH appreciated!!! Merry Christmas!!!!
Joy
Sarah F. says
Love all your music! I have a bunch of beginners, so a song or two from Sheldon’s Nuts About Notereading are on the program. Thank you.
Cindy says
Thank you! The piece is wonderful and puts me in the mood for the holiday season. We are having unseasonably warm temperature here and I keep forgetting the holiday season is upon us! Excited to print and read your piece. Have a wonderful weekend and Merry Christmas!
Sue says
Oh my!!! Your music is so fantastic and creative. I love being a member of the music club. How on earth do you get so much done! Thank you for giving all of us piano teachers a spark of fun!
Christine M says
A favorite with my students is “Text Me!” They think it’s pretty cool to play an entire piece with only their thumbs! :_)
Drema says
Wow, Andrea, this is such a beautiful piece!
Thanks so much for sharing it~
Kelly says
I have been following your page for awhile now, and just signed up last month for Piano Book Club. I am amazed at my first month’s selection of Vamp Battles! It’s like receiving a gift every month, and I can’t wait to see what is next! I would like to know how I can get ahold of the Silver Screen Playbook that I keep hearing so much about??
Andrea says
Hi Kelly – welcome to PianoBookClub! Happy to hear you are enjoying Vamp Battles ๐ Our mission is to make it feel like Christmas Morning every month that you open your book email… happy to hear it’s working! The Silver Screen Playbook will be a future re-release. As a continuing member of PianoBookClub you’ll receive a password at the bottom of the email that delivers your new book each month. This gives you access to the re-released book that you can choose to purchase for the same $8 with unlimited printing. Silver Screen will definitely be re-released ๐
Leigh says
I would love to have a new book. I have a variety of pieces picked including a duet of Carol of the Bells. It’s harder to find pieces teens love and look forward to using this piece you have shared with us. Thank you!
Beth T says
Love this piece!
Jenna says
Andrea, I have been playing this all day. My kids were dancing to it this evening! Thanks, I have a few students in mind that will love this!
Andrea says
Yay! Happy to be a part of a Family Dance Party (those are the best!) Cheers Jenna ๐
Angela says
Will be using Three Ships piece with one of my teen boys and your Jungle Bells duet for two sisters. Would love to win the book. Love your duets.
Andrea says
Thank you Angela! So happy to hear you’ll be using our music ๐
Suzanne says
What a lovely arrangement of “I Saw Three Ships”. I’m sure that a few of my students will definitely enjoy performing this Christmas piece!
Carol says
Fantastic! I was so pleased to find this new piece in my email this morning. I knew exactly the student to give it to for our Christmas recital. He loves it and left his lesson with a huge smile on his face. Thank you for raising my ‘coolness’ factor!
Andrea says
Happy to help with the coolness factor Carol ๐ Thrilled to hear he loves it and left with a smile – hope it results in lots of home practice!
Jan Elizabeth says
That was just beautiful! I just joined your community recently, so haven’t used any of your pieces yet, but I will certainly print and use this one, for starters. Thank you!
Andrea says
Hi Jan – welcome! Glad you found us ๐
Shirlene Hindes says
Wow! This piece is beautiful! We are including the Cowboy Carol, Sing Alleluja, Song of Joy, and We 3 Kings of Orient Are
Marรญa Laura says
I have already used a lot all the Halloween improvisation and the Monster Mash up, so probably one of them is going to be played in the recital, and now the three ships, surely is going to be as well!
Laura says
Like so many others I am thrilled with this piece and can’t wait to share it with my students. My younger students hear my teens playing your songs and are begging to play them too! Of course they have their own music (also by you) that they enjoy but it sure has them motivated to continue learning there stuff so that they can eventually play these awesome tunes as well.
Sarah says
Thanks for the work that you do. Your arrangements just seem to ‘click’ with my students! I am having a Christmas recital on the last Sunday before Christmas. I don’t have any of your Christmas music yet (although Three ships may likely find it’s way onto the schedule), but some of my beginners will be showcasing several of the delightful Sheldon the Squirrel pieces. And Knock Knock Rock (a real ear-worm) may be performed as well. I just played through your Silver Screen book and I’m sure some of my teens will love the music. I know I do. Keep up the great work!!
Andrea says
Hi Sarah -thrilled to hear that you’re getting such great use out of the PianoBookClub Books ๐ Thanks so much for your kind words!
Aleece says
Each Christmas, I choose a lesser known Christmas song that becomes the theme of my studio activities. This year we are doing I Saw Three Ships. This version will be perfect for my teen students!
Andrea says
What a coincidence Aleece! ๐ Happy you can use it in such a coordinated fashion
Sue Gartland says
I love this piece! Maybe next year. My recital is one month from today and my students already have their music. They are all doing at least one duet and one solo. Wish I would have known about the duet book earlier! It’s hard to find good duet music at all levels for Christmas.
Yvonne Chittle says
what a great piece! Thank you-however, if anyone can help me. I’m in Google Chrome and when I click on the link, and hit print, it just wants to save it. How do I print this out? I know just the student that’s going to play this, and love it!
Andrea says
Hi Yvonne – just make sure you download it first. Some computers prefer to print from a saved version. So – open it, choose file-> save .Close the preview and then re-open from the saved file before printing as usual. Does this help?
Cathy R says
Thank you for such a fabulous piece! I also really like ‘Jungle Bells’, and will be using it with my students this year.
Tonya Norris says
Love this, spent the whole morning playing myself just for fun ๐ – much better than doing the housework I was supposed to be doing
Andrea says
Hi Tonya – happy to provide some housework distraction for you ๐ Thanks for your kind comment!
Elizabeth Elorza says
Fearless Fortissimo volume one will be making a debut at the next recital. Several of my boy students wanted to perform songs from it so I was like, well let’s just do the whole thing with a narration!
Andrea says
Oh so cool Elizabeth! We’ve had several teachers do this – one even in full costume! ๐ Hope you have lots of fun with it – a memorable recital for sure!
Holli Archer says
All NINE of Santa’s Reindeer will be appearing in our Christmas Recital this year, antlers and all! Thanks for Rollicking Reindeer- they all feel like rockstars, I’m having the parents who “gave up on piano” play the teacher part, and now the student practicing record is great!
Andrea says
So cool to hear Holli! ๐ I love the addition of parents to the duets – what a great idea! Would love to see videos if you think of it – tag me on Facebook!