Jarema at about age three, in his hometown of Stryj in 1931. His town would be occupied by the Soviet Union and then by Germany within a decade.

Jarema with his mother, whom Melanie called Baba, and his stepfather, Walter DeBaylo, around the time they emigrated to the United States in 1946.

Jarema, who Americanized his name to Jerry, takes up the cello under music professor Roman Prydatkevitch at Murray State University in Kentucky. His senior recital, circa 1951.

Jean Brown, soon to become Jerry’s wife, in the fashionable dress and high heels she favored, at the piano in 1956, before she became ill.

Mr. K began teaching at East Brunswick High School when it opened in 1958.

“Now DANCE!” Mr. K takes charge at a “get acquainted” dance at the ASTA summer music conference.

Mr. K teaches Melanie and Stephanie, ages five and three.

Stephanie multitasking at about age five.

Mr. K helps Stephanie, age three, with her bow stroke.

Burton Lipman developed an interest in music as a teenager, playing a theremin that was built by his father, Paul. He demonstrated the instrument at a high school performance, circa 1948.

Diane Lipman, far right, loads up the station wagon in the driveway of the family’s home with, left to right, Michele, Joanne, and Ronni, ages about eight, three, and six.

Diane Lipman and daughters Michele (ten years old), Ronni (eight years old), and Joanne (five years old), on a family vacation to Florida. Michele was a beginning violin player.

Melanie plays for composer Philip Gordon in his Princeton, New Jersey, home so he can hear for himself what an eight-year-old violinist can do. After the meeting, he composed Concertino for her.

Melanie performs Concertino by Philip Gordon, accompanied by the East Brunswick Junior High School Orchestra in Atlantic City, New Jersey, February 1971.

Mr. K insisted on taking an official portrait with his daughters every year at the summer ASTA conference, until Melanie and Stephanie finally rebelled. In the first photo, Melanie is eight years old and Stephanie is six.

Joanne, age twelve, leads the viola section in the Central Jersey Region II Intermediate Orchestra. In the background, far right, Miriam Simon plays cello; next to Miriam is John Stine, whose music-teacher mother was a close friend of Mr. K’s.

The Sentinel newspaper reports on the quartet’s first national appearance, at the Music Educators National Conference in Philadelphia in April 1975. Left to right: Melanie, Stephanie, Mr. K, Miriam, Joanne.