Melody Bober brings two decades of public school teaching experience into every piece she writes. Her formal training includes a bachelor's degree in music education from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana (completed summa cum laude) and a Master of Arts in piano performance from Minnesota State University, Moorhead, where she studied under respected pedagogues Joel Shapiro and Andrew Froelich.
Beyond her private studio, Bober has taught at the university level and served as church music director while maintaining an active role as an accompanist. Her reputation as both a clinician and composer has made her a sought-after presenter at piano teacher conferences and workshops throughout North America. Her mentors in music education, jazz, and piano performance have shaped an approach to composition that prioritizes student growth and musical understanding.
Why we love this
Bober understands exactly what intermediate students need: a piece that combines genuine musical interest with technical challenges pitched just right. The dramatic arc of The Chase creates natural engagement without relying on gimmicks, making it the kind of repertoire that students actually look forward to practicing.
What to expect
Racing motion unfolds across the keyboard as a melody pursues its course, propelled by rhythmic energy beneath. The piece captures the urgency of a chase through musical momentum rather than through complexity alone.
Who it's for
Intermediate piano students ready to explore pieces with dramatic character and narrative drive. This works well for students who respond to program music and enjoy pieces that tell a story through their texture and pacing.
How to get the most out of it
Establish the tempo and energy of the opening clearly before students begin; this piece demands rhythmic confidence from measure one.
Pay attention to dynamic shaping within phrases rather than treating dynamic markings as on-and-off switches; the music breathes between its moments of intensity.
Work the accompaniment pattern until it becomes automatic, freeing mental energy for the melodic line above it.
Record your students performing it, then have them listen critically to their own tempo consistency and note clarity; self-assessment builds ownership.
How to use it
Slip this into a spring recital to give intermediate performers a piece with real personality and forward momentum. It pairs well alongside classical sonatinas and can anchor a student recital when programmed as a closing number before intermission.
Skills your students will build
Sustaining rhythmic accuracy in repeating accompaniment patterns
Balancing melody against accompaniment without uneven hand development
Managing tempo consistency through passages of shifting harmonic rhythm
Shaping dynamic narrative within a single musical idea
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