Pop Quartets for All (Revised and Updated): Trombone, Baritone B.C., Bassoon, Tuba Book

Story's arrangements capture the energy and familiarity of these pop and film titles while writing idiomatic parts for each instrument. The graded difficulty structure within a single book allows mixed-ability quartets to perform together without sacrificing musical integrity, and the song selection spans enough styles and decades that every student finds something they recognize.

Fresh and approachable. These familiar melodies from film, television, and popular music land with immediate recognition, while the harmonic and rhythmic support from the lower voices creates a complete sound despite the small ensemble size. Each piece offers a snapshot of a distinct musical world, from swing to funk to orchestral grandeur.

Mixed brass and woodwind quartets at the middle school through early high school level, including ensembles that blend trombone, baritone, bassoon, and tuba. This book works for casual student groups, recital performers, and any quartet seeking contemporary material that requires minimal score preparation.

• Establish the rhythmic pocket early in rehearsal; these pop arrangements rely on groove and precision rather than legit phrasing, so lock the ensemble rhythm before worrying about dynamics.
• Use the printed score format strategically by having players position their stands to see each other's parts during runs or syncopated passages.
• Balance the lower brass and woodwind voices equally so the bass line and harmonic support carry their weight alongside the melody.

These quartets function beautifully as encores, concert filler, or standalone performances at family-friendly events and school assemblies where students want to connect with the audience through recognizable music. The 12-piece selection allows you to program a full pop-themed concert or mix individual titles into a varied program.

• Reading parts in varying difficulty levels within the same ensemble texture
• Balancing melody and accompaniment in a four-part texture
• Rhythmic precision in syncopated, groove-based music
• Transposition awareness (baritone B.C. vs. standard brass parts)
• Collaborative listening and blend across mixed instrument families