Famous & Fun Favorites, Book 5 Cover Image

Famous & Fun Favorites, Book 5: Piano Book

$7.99 USD

Famous & Fun Favorites, Book 5: Piano Book

Name: Famous & Fun Favorites, Book 5: Piano Book
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-23251
Price: 7.99 USD
Availability: InStock

16 Appealing Piano Arrangements

Arranged by Carol Matz

Level: Intermediate

Item: 00-23251

$7.99

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Famous & Fun Favorites, Book 5, is a collection of appealing arrangements of familiar songs that students are sure to know and love. Written at the intermediate level, it may be used as a supplement to any method. "America" and "Down by the Riverside" are Federation Festivals 2016-2020 selections. A Federation Festivals 2020-2024 selection.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Famous & Fun Favorites, Book 5: Piano Book comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: Famous & Fun

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 32

ISBN10: 0-7390-3775-7

ISBN13: 978-0-7390-3775-1

UPC: 038081258935

SKU: 00-23251

More about this title

About the Arranger: Carol Matz

Carol Matz has arranged and composed over 300 works for piano students, drawing on her background in composition, arranging, and orchestration from the University of Miami. Beyond her prolific writing career, she has spent decades in the piano teaching studio and has led workshops on piano pedagogy across the United States, Canada, England, New Zealand, and Australia.

Matz is best known for the Famous & Fun series, which has become a staple in intermediate piano curricula. Her compositional range extends to orchestral, jazz, and chamber writing, and she has contributed studio arrangements for recording artists in the Miami area.

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Why we love this

Students engage immediately with music they already know, which builds confidence and keeps practice sessions enjoyable. The arrangements sit at a genuine intermediate level without oversimplifying the material, so students develop real musicianship while staying motivated by familiar melodies.

What to expect

These arrangements carry the warmth and storytelling quality of folk music while maintaining the harmonic richness and technical polish that Matz brings to every piece. Playing through the book feels like discovering new dimensions in songs you thought you already knew.

Who it's for

Intermediate piano students ready to move beyond method-book progressions and explore real repertoire will thrive with this collection. It works equally well for students preparing for festival competition (two pieces are Federation Festivals selections) or those simply seeking engaging supplementary material that connects to music they love.

How to get the most out of it

Listen to recorded versions of these folk songs beforehand so you internalize the traditional melodies and can shape the arrangement with authentic phrasing.
Mark the dynamic changes and tempo indications before you begin; Matz's arrangements rely on these details to bring out the character of each piece.
Balance melody and accompaniment carefully, especially in pieces with folk-style harmonic textures; the arrangement's appeal depends on clear voice leading.

How to use it

Assign individual pieces from this collection as recital repertoire throughout the year, or compile several arrangements into a thematic recital centered on American folk songs and spirituals. The 32-page format allows teachers to select which pieces suit each student's interests and level, making it an ideal flexible resource for mixed-level studio teaching.