Pelagos - An ancient Greek word meaning
"the deep, the open sea"
A new adventure in music recording and publishing
World rhythms and contemporary voices   
Sacred and secular song

 

As the oceans are fed by many rivers, Pelagos is informed by the music of many cultures.  As the seas touch all our shores, Pelagos reaches an audience worldwide.

Pelagos Incorporated, an independent record label, music publisher, and arts management agency, was founded by Margaret Race and Paul Halley in 1998.  Pelagos emphasizes the creation of new music, blending the sounds and rhythms of diverse cultures with Western elements of Classical, Choral, and Jazz. The Pelagos approach is characterized by sophisticated and uplifting arrangements using authentic vocal techniques and instrumentation. Music that is exciting, enlivening and enriching.  Music for the heart and the mind - sophisticated, innovative, and transforming.
 
In addition to a sizeable catalogue of published titles, including choral anthems, keyboard scores, and symphonic works, Pelagos has an expanding list of audio recordings. Pelagos offerings are available to a rapidly growing global market in the form of compact discs, sheet music, online music files, music licensing for film, television, and video, commissioned works for specific events and concert performances.  

our staff

Meg Race
President

Operations
Marketing

 

Margaret Race,
President,
brings a strong background in operations and management to Pelagos. Ms. Race conceived the company’s initial business plan and capitalization, and has overseen the design and production of all recordings and published music.  She has developed a comprehensive marketing campaign with website, mail-order catalogue, independent distribution agreements, and media development, garnering the attention of prominent music and entertainment journals, as well as significant radio and television programming.
 
Ms. Race initially partnered with Paul Halley in 1991 to found the not-for-profit Joyful Noise, Inc., which comprises the children’s choir, Chorus Angelicus and the adult chamber choir, Gaudeamus. She served at JNI as Executive Director from 1991 to 1997 and produced three recordings released with Paul Halley on the Joyful Noise label.  A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Williams College, Ms. Race was trained as an artist and has professional credits in the fields of illustration, architecture, and interior design.

Paul Halley
Creative Director

Product R & D

Samantha Halley,
Director of Arts Management and Media Relations,
joined the Pelagos staff in early 2006. As Paul's daughter, Sam has grown up in the midst of the music business and understands well the intricacies and challenges of non-profit, as well as for-profit, enterprise in the arts.  Sam has professional experience in the fields of marketing, retail, and hospitality, and currently manages performances, and commissions, media relations, and a myriad of administrative and financial details for Pelagos.

A Summa cum laude graduate of King's College, Halifax,  Sam is an accomplished singer and a gifted poet, with several literary prizes to her credit.  Kudos, Sam!
 

Samantha Halley

Arts Management
Media Relations

Vanessa Halley

Licensing
Distribution

Vanessa Halley,
Director of Licensing and Distribution,
is Paul’s eldest daughter and the newest member of our company team (although she was involved with Pelagos at its earliest stages in 1997). Vanessa earned her B.A with Honors from the University of Toronto (Russian and Political Science) and her J.D. Summa Cum Laude from Western New England School of Law where she served as Editor-In-Chief of the Law Review. Upon receipt of her law degree, Vanessa put in a year of public service as a Staff Attorney with the Committee for Public Counsel Services, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. During her years of study, Vanessa served as legal intern with judges, law firms, and large companies in the U.S. and Canada. Following her interest in entertainment law and arts management, Vanessa has put aside her public defense work to join Pelagos. Vanessa is an avid choral singer, loves to travel, and throws great parties. She recently became married to her long-time partner and high school sweetheart, Shaylan Burkhart, who himself is an honorary alumnus of Paul’s children’s choir, Chorus Angelicus. Welcome, Vanessa!

Liza Rogers

Administration

Liza Rogers,
Administrative Assistant,
lends a hand in the Customer Service department at Pelagos whenever she is at home on semester break from Trinity College, Dublin.  Liza is Meg's daughter and, like all her five siblings, is a graduate of Paul's Chorus Angelicus. In addition to her degree studies in English Literature and European History, Liza is a Choral Scholar, an avid reader of fiction, and an aspiring journalist.  Each time that Liza returns to the Pelagos office, our customers can detect a distinct Irish lilt in her voice. Cheers, Liza!
 

Licensing
Paul Halley's music publishing entity, Back Alley Music, is an ASCAP affiliate and is administered by Pelagos Incorporated. Statutory Mechanical Licensing for Back Alley Music may be arranged through the Harry Fox Agency.  Synchronization Licensing and Permission to Arrange for Back Alley Music is administered by Pelagos Incorporated. Please call us for details, assistance, or quotes.
See www.harryfox.com.

Performances
The artists featured on Pelagos recordings are available for concert performances in a variety of ensemble or solo configurations as their schedules allow.  Please contact Pelagos for a schedule of performance fees for these artists.
See Performances

Commissions
If you would like to commission a new work for your organization for a premiere performance or to commemorate a special event, please contact Pelagos for Paul Halley's schedule of rates. Choral and instrumental compositions, from solo works to full orchestrations, may be commissioned. Prices are quoted per minute according to the finished length of the work.
See Commissions