Ukrainian Bell Carol Free Sheet Music for Beginning PianoThe Ukrainian Bell Carol (also called Carol of the Bells, or Hark How the Bells) is incredibly popular and beautiful. This free sheet music will encourage your beginning piano students to make it sparkle with energy.This ever-popular Christmas song, though originally a choral piece, is a great favorite at my studio. All my students learn it eventually. Though it is very beautiful and flashy, it is surprisingly easy. Listen to this beautiful version by pianist George Winston: 
Many first-year students can learn this piece, as long as they have the coordination to master the four-note figure which the right hand repeats over and over again. ("TAH, tee-tee Tah, TAH, tee-tee Tah.") When introducing it, I always give them just the right hand motif the first week, because it is tricky! A great many of them come back the next week playing four equal quarter notes (sounding like the beginning of the "Dies irae," not "Hark, how the bells!"), and wondering why all the spark seems to have gone out of the song.
I have written an easier version of the Carol of the Bells more suitable for real beginners, using the Middle C notes with which they should be familiar. Though not having the flash and sparkle of this longer version, the beauty of the music still comes through and seems to satisfy kids at the beginning level, and they work at it happily. A harder, fancier version, is found in FJH's In Recital with Christmas Favorites Book 3. That Gm arrangement incorporates more themes than my simpler version above. (There are 13 carols in all, including a -- thankfully -- shortened version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," "Up on the Housetop," an unusually pretty arrangement of "O Christmas Tree," an easy but sweet "I Saw Three Ships," a mysterious "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," and duet arrangements of "Pat-a-Pan" and "Good King Wenceslaus".)
Here's another Youtube video of the Ukrainian Bell Carol -- this one moves fast!
Hark How the Bells is easily learned by rote; I'm not saying not to have them read the notes! But your kids will be able to PLAY this piece long before they can READ it, and long before they meet treble C,D and E in their Faber Piano Adventure books, not to mention f# and g#, which the song uses on page 2. And one last video -- the Straight No Chaser Men's Group:
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George Winston's Version of Carol of the Bells - Can I Get It from You?
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Carrie,Voice and Piano Teacher:
This site is FABULOUS. For all the reasons you explain on the site itself--this is exactly what piano teachers need! (I still need to go look at the vocal music). Wow. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
California Student:
Hi,I want to thank you for such a wonderful and educational website. I have found all the information you have posted and your comments immensely helpful, and I am grateful for your posting it. I am sure you are an awesome teacher and person. I am a beginner piano student, so many thanks and Happy New Year.
Rosanne:
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Marybeth:
I love your site! It has been an incredible resource forme as a Music teacher. I love your ideas and the music you share...
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Matt:
THIS SITE IS AMAZING!!... Thank you so much for your hard work getting these on the web, you have mademany children very happy!!
Joy:
Thank you. Just wanted to say I found your website bymistake but what a blessing it has been. I am a missionary wife living in Spain (for many, many years) and I teach piano to Spanish children and adults. I have the barrier of very few usable things in Spanish, and can so identify with the need to write things suitable for the student...
Marta:
Thank you for the free downloads! I'm a private teacher and I teach piano and beginner voice as well. :) I've been running my studio for about a year and I've come across the same issue; I don't want my students to have to purchase an entire supplemental book for only a couple of songs. So thank you for this site...some great downloads!! 
Yolanda:
I used to teach piano lessons, and then did not for anumber of years. Now, suddenly, I have 3 beginning students and I am thrilled. I was looking for printable scales and found your wonderful website. Thankyou so much. I know this will be a big help to me and my students.
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