Federation Quartets

Melody Bober's arrangement of Over the Rainbow remains the collection's most adopted title, offering late intermediate students a recognizable melody and manageable ensemble coordination. Teachers also turn to Jonathan Cain's Don't Stop Believin' (intermediate level) when they need contemporary material that engages students, and Ruth Ellinger's Balloon Pop Polka delivers playful early exposure to quartet playing at the late elementary level. Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and Sibelius's Finlandia (arranged by John W. Schaum) round out the collection's core classics.

Beatrice A. Miller has contributed 15 titles to this collection, drawing on her lifelong engagement with sacred music rooted in her upbringing in a musical Lutheran household. Her Romantic Interlude remains a steady favorite among teachers looking for lyrical pieces that develop students' legato playing and ensemble balance.

Melody Bober's approach to composition centers on motivation and musical understanding. A summa cum laude graduate in music education from the University of Illinois and holder of a Master's degree in piano performance, she has written and arranged these quartets with an eye toward fostering student growth alongside genuine musicality. Her Over the Rainbow arrangement demonstrates this philosophy in action.

John W. Schaum's eight arrangements in this collection include his widely taught Finlandia, which gives intermediate to late intermediate groups access to Sibelius without oversimplifying the orchestral color and sweep that make the piece memorable.