Are you interested in commissioning a new work for your organization, for a premiere performance, or to commemorate a special event? Pelagos and Paul Halley make the commissioning process fun and easy.

For commission information in PDF format, click on the links below.

PDF Paul Halley Commissions General Information
PDF Paul Halley Commissions Biography
PDF Paul Halley Commissions Schedule of Rates
PDF Paul Halley - List of Commissioned Works

 

Paul Halley's music


'Halley’s mellifluous tone and subtle harmonic shifts sent many in the audience home in a state of musical rapture. '
- The Washington Post


'It was Halley’s own arrangements that transformed this event into a genuinely moving and often heart-rending tribute to the best that the American spirit has to offer.' 
- The Berkshire Eagle 


'Halley draws upon (an) eclectic vision, including elements of classical and Celtic music, folk songs, and fantasies in his compositions. Playing music that is at once vibrant and intricately contrapuntal, he deploys the instruments with a symphonic sense of coloration.
- Billboard Magazine 
 

'Halley composed much of the music, setting poetry and other selections to majestic,
graceful melodies and arrangements. Halley (and Thomason) present a seamless unity
of passion and praise, blending the old and the new in a CD replete with respect for the content … an enriching experience regardless of your belief system;
there is a universality in the musical expression that transcends denomination.'
- Rambles Online


'Halley has a strong sense of melody and harmony, a boundless range of technique
and an irresistibly affirmative point of view.'
- Tower Records 'Pulse'


'…a powerhouse of ingenuity, creativity and soulfulness. Halley’s mastery of styles from French Impressionism to Jazz and New Age is nothing short of absolute brilliance.'
- The Living Church


'Halley eschews sectarian ritual, instead creating a kind of supernatural realm
for acoustic and emotional interplay.'
-The American Organist


'What earns this recording a place in the Pantheon are the descants Halley wrote for four carols, fresh, audacious and thrilling.'
- The Absolute Sound


'Halley’s vision of a world without boundaries is powerfully conveyed in a work that will continue to delight, inspire, and amaze after many repeated auditions.'
-  The American Organist Magazine 


'The melodies he [Paul Halley] wrote for his solo piano/pipe organ LP, Pianosong, are so tuneful Barry Manilow would become an axe murderer just for the chance to say "I wrote them."’ 
- Cincinnati Enquirer 


'Halley has managed to banish murkiness altogether from his playing. Perhaps it’s his clarity that’s most outstanding, or maybe because of his clarity
he can accomplish so much more than ordinary mortals.'
- Kitchener/Waterloo Record



 

About commissions
Please consider Pelagos Music and the talent of composer Paul Halley. 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.
For commissions of choral music or works for voice, the provision of an existing text, preferably in the public domain, is extremely helpful.  Your requests as to specific voicing and accompanying instrumentation are also appreciated.  Paul is a very versatile composer who can most likely accommodate anything you may envision.  The rate schedule serves as a general guide and pricing can be modified to address customized variations in voicing and instrumentation.  You may wish to speak with Paul directly about these musical details as he proceeds with your commission.  The dedication, specified by the commissioning organization or individual, is found above the title on the first page of music on all commissioned works. You may select the wording you wish for the dedication. 

The commissioning organization is given the exclusive right to perform the premiere of the work. After the premiere performance, Pelagos usually publishes the work so that other organizations throughout the world may perform this new Paul Halley piece which you caused to be created.  It is gratifying for an organization to see the work that it commissioned subsequently performed in many countries throughout the world and perhaps recorded by other ensembles.

Please feel free to contact us with questions about the process of commissioning a new work. Call 1-877-725-2467 toll-free.

Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis •
1972 – 6 mins
For Richard Marlow
and the Choir of Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge
Text: The Book of Common Prayer (Rte I)
Men’s voices (TTBB) unaccompanied

The Canticle of the Sun •
1979 – 15 mins
For Richard Westenburg
and Musica Sacra, NYC
Text: St. Francis of Assisi
Women’s voices (SSAA) unaccompanied

(Six) Love Songs for Springtime •
1981 – 21 mins 
For Brian Law
and the Ottawa Choral Society
Text: English folk texts
SATB choir and piano or brass quintet and percussion

Sound Over All Waters •
1982 - 4 mins
For Coretta Scott King
Text: John Greenleaf Whittier
Mezzo-soprano Solo, SATB choir and piano,
with optional bass and percussion

Christe Qui Lux Es Et Dies •
1983 – 7-1/2 mins 
For Mr. Coit Johnson
in honor of Pamela Morton,
wife of James Parks Morton, Dean of
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, NYC 
Text: Latin
SATB choir unaccompanied

Wondrous Love •
1985 - 8-1/2 mins 
For the Reverend James Parks Morton
and the Choirs of
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, NYC
Text: American folk hymn
SATB choir, brass, timpani and organ

Song For Canada •
1989 – 4 mins)
For Barbara Clark,
for the Canada Day Celebration,
Text: Paul Halley
SATB choir and piano,
with optional bass and percussion

Ubi Caritas •
1991 - 8 mins 
For Abdel Salaam
and The Forces of Nature Dance Company
Text: French 10th cent.,
Yoruba and Khemitic texts
SATB choir and piano,
percussion, bass, optional organ

Les Petits Troubadours De Dieu •
1992 – 9 mins 
For Brian Law
and the Ottawa Choral Society,
Text: St. Francis of Assisi, Psalms 27, 148, 149, 150
SSA choir (with optional SATB choir) and piano

Jesu, The Very Thought Of Thee •
1994 – 5-1/2 mins
For Noel Edison and The Elora Festival Singers
Text: 12th century Latin,
(translation Edward Caswell)
SATB choir and organ

Verbum Caro Factum Est •
1994 – 6 mins
For Wayne Abercrombie
and the Chamber Choir of Williams College 
Text: John 1:14
SATB choir unaccompanied

A Letter from Giocondo •
1998 – 20 mins
For Juniata College, Huntington, PA
in honor of President Robert W. Neff
upon his retirement 
Text: Fra Giovanni Giocondo, 1513
SATB choir and wind ensemble or orchestra 

God Be Merciful Unto Us •
1998 – 3-1/2 mins
For Millard and Claire Pryor,
on the occasion of their daughter’s wedding
Text: Psalm 67
SSA choir with organ and trumpet 

United In Song •
1998 – 4-1/2 mins 
For Arts Bureau for the Continents
for the Millennium Unisong Festival 2000, Ottawa
Text: Paul Halley
Treble choir and/or SATB choir,
and piano four hands or orchestra

Evening Songs •
1999 – 30 mins
For Gerald Finley and Louise Winter,
premiered August 1999
A cycle of seven songs
based on texts by Max Ehrmann
Baritone, mezzo-soprano and piano

The Ballad of Hiram Hover •
1999 - 4 mins
For Carol Magowan
on behalf of Chorus Angelicus
Text: James Bayard Taylor, 19th cent.
SSA and piano

Untraveled Worlds •
2000 – 6 mins 
For Bruce Fifer
and the Collegium Musicum
of Taft School for Commencement, May 25, 2000
Text: Alfred, Lord Tennyson 'Ulysses'
SATB choir, violin, piano,
percussion and optional strings

Sanctus and Benedictus •
2000 – 4 mins 
For Dr. Joe Hickman
and the University of North Carolina
at Wilmington Chamber Choir
Text: Latin Mass
SATB choir and organ
with soprano saxophone or C-instrument

Birds of Fire •
2000 – 4 mins 
For Barry Oliver and
The New York City Gay Men’s Chorus,
Text: Latin Mass
AATTBB choir, bass,
percussion and Native American flute

A House In Heaven •
2001 – 6 mins 
For The Peterborough Singers
in honor of James Birrell*,
son of Music Director Syd Birrell.
Text: M.D. Babcock, H.C. Beeching,
B. Carman, J. Birrell, Psalm 8
Treble & SATB choirs, flute, piano, organ 

*Nine months after the premiere performance of this work,
eight-year old James Birrell died of neuroblastoma. 

Preces and Responses •
2001 – 4 mins 
For David Link
and the Trinity Cathedral Choir, Sacramento, CA
by Patricia Burger and Steven Courtney
in honor of the 100th birthday of Bertha R.P. Nelson.
Text: 1928 Episcopal Hymnbook
SATB choir unaccompanied

My Beloved Spake •
2002 – 5 mins 
For Andrew Eliot Henderson
and Mary Wannamaker Huff
on the occasion of their wedding.
Text: Song of Solomon
SATB choir with soprano solo, organ and trumpet 

Bring Us, O Lord God •
2002 – 4 mins 
For the Choir of Men and Boys,
Grace Cathedral, San Francisco
in honor of Mr. Boyd Jarrell, cantor
Text: John Donne
SATB choir and organ with baritone solo

Psalm 57 •
2003 –  4 mins
For Michael Cothren and Susan Lowry
for Emma Lowry Cothren’s
George Slick Fellowship recital.
Text: Psalm 57 –
Episcopal Book of Common Prayer 1979
Soprano Solo, SATB choir, piano or harp, organ

In Sideribus Domi – At Home In The Stars •
2003 – 30 mins
For The Clay Center of Science and Art, Charleston, WV  
A Continental Harmony Project
of American Composers Forum
Text: Anne Lynch, Joseph Addison,
David Densmore, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,
Michael Rowan- Robinson, Gregorian Chant
SATB choir and orchestra or piano,
soprano sax, cello, bass, guitar, percussion

The Endless Sea •
2004 –  6 mins
For Margaret T. Bossi
and Chatham Chorale, Cape Cod
in honor of Elinor Perry
Texts: Psalm 104, Herman Melville,
Carl Sandberg, Alfred, Lord Tennyson
SATB choir, piano, sax, cello,
oboe, bass, percussion, organ

Behold! The Grace Appears •
2004 –  8 mins
For Lorraine Revelle
and Northern Choral Society, Watertown, NY,
for the 50^th anniversary concert
Texts: Isaac Watts, The Bible,
and The Book of Common Prayer
SATB/treble choirs, brass,
organ, piano, bells, perc. 

We Will Rejoice For Evermore •
2004 –  4 mins
For First Congregational Church of Evanston
in honor of Mr. David Lornson, Music Director
Text: from “Gates of Prayer” 1975
(The New Union Prayerbook)
SATB choir and organ 

I Cannot Dance, O Love •
2005 –  4 mins
For the Greater Hartford AGO
premiered by CONCORA
for the Region 1 AGO Conference, July 2005
Text: Jean Weibe Janzen
after 12th century Mechthild of Magdeburg,
Charles Wesley
SATB choir and organ

Be Thou By Their Side •
2005 –  6 mins
For David and Mary Dangremond
for Bruce Fifer and
Taft School Collegium Musicum
Text: William Amory Gardner,
trad. Irish ca. 700
SATB choir and piano,
with small instrumental ensemble

Christ, Whose Glory Fills The Skies •
2005 –  4 mins
For Noel Edison
and the Choir of St. John’s Anglican Church, Elora, ON
in honor of The Reverend Robert Hulce
Text: Charles Wesley (1707 – 1778)
SATB choir and organ

Seven Sisters •
2006 –  6 mins
For Steve Zimmerman
and the Northwest Regional 7
High School Wind Bands
Wind band and percussion ensemble

O Wondrous Type •
2006 –  5 mins
For Dr. Scott Bennett
and Grace Episcopal Church, Charleston, SC
Text: Latin, 15^th cent; tr.
Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1861
SATB choir and organ

The Open Door •
2007 –  5 mins
For Sharon Parker Lenihan
and Plymouth Congregational Church,
West Des Moines, IA
Text: Rumi, John Greenleaf Whittier,
John Oxenham
SATB choir and piano,
organ, percussion, bass

Pilgrim •
2007 –  6 mins
For Peter Robb
and Pacific International Children's
Choral Festival PICCFEST
Text: Antonia Machado, Rainer Maria Rilke
SSA choir and piano,
percussion, bass, strings, and trumpet

Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis •
2007 –  8 mins
For Philip Scriven
and the Boys of Lichfield Cathedral
Text: The Book of Common Prayer
SSA choir and organ

Eternal Gifts •
2007 –  5 mins
For the Choir of Men and Boys
of St, Matthew's Church, Ottawa, ON
on the occasion of the choir's 50th anniversary
Text: St. Matthew, St. Francis of Assisi,
Bishop Thomas Ken (1721),  St. Ambrose
SATB choir and organ

Kyrie, Bitte bei der grossen Schuld •
Arrangement of J.S. Bach BWV115
2007 –  5 mins
For Massimo Bracci
and Corale San Jacopo, Italy
Text: Psalm 51, Johann Burchard Freystein
SATB choir and piano,
organ, bass, clarinet, flute

The Spirit of Africville •
2008 –   8 mins
For Jeff Joudrey
and the Halifax Camerata Singers
Text: Shauntay Grant, William Cowper
SATB choir, narrator, and piano, organ,
percussion, bass

The Place Of Your Abode •
2008 –   4 mins
For Warren Howell
and St. John's Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC
Text: Psalm 84, Timothy Dwight
SATB choir and organ

The Pulley •
2008 –   4 mins
For the University of King's College, Halifax, NS
in honor of Dr. George Cooper
Text: George Herbert
SATB choir unaccompanied

Psalm 150: Laudate Dominum
2008 - 3 mins
For Lawrence Park Community Church, Toronto
to celebrate the rededication of the sanctuary
Mark Toews, music director
Text: Psalm 150
SATB choir, organ, trumpet, optional tympani
Premiered October 19, 2008

A Brighter Garden
2009 - 4 mins
Commissioned by the Plater Family
for Calgary Girls Choir, Elaine Quilichini, director
Text: "There Is Another Sky" by Emily Dickinson
SSA choir and piano with soprano solo, and French Horn
Premiered May 2, 2009

The Song In The Air
2009 - 5 mins
In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of
Ottawa Children's Choir, Jackie Hawley, director
Text: "The Arrow and the Song" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
SSA choir, piano, optional keyboard
Premiered May 23, 2009

A Wreathed Garland
2009 - 3 mins
Commissioned by RCCO Toronto Chapter
for the Centenary of RCCO founding in 1909
Text: "A Wreath" by George Herbert
SATB choir and organ, two trumpets, two trombones
Premiered June 29, 2009
with The Elmer Iseler Singers, Lydia Adams, Director
and True North Brass

Trompette du Trouvere
2009 - 4 mins
Commissioned by James Ruth, organist, for the 150th anniversary
of Trinity United Methodist Church, Denver, CO
Fanfare for organ featuring trumpet stop
Premiered September, 2009

We Love The Place, O God
2010 - 3 mins
Commissioned by The Cathedral Church of All Saints, Halifax,
John Hudson, Music Director, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of worship in the Cathedral building.
Text by William Bullock, rev. by Henry Baker, from 'Songs of the Church' (Halifax, 1854) and Latin text from Liber Usualis
SATB choir and organ
Premiered September 12, 2010 Heritage Sunday

Let The Word of Christ
2010 - 4 mins
Commissioned by Church of Christ Congregational, Norfolk, CT, Elizabeth Allyn, Minister of Music, in celebration of the church's 250th anniversary in 2010.
Text from Colossians
SATB choir and organ
Premiered November 7, 2010

Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant
2010 - 4 mins
Commissioned by CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Company) for the CBC Christmas Sing-In 2010, Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul, Montreal, QC
Text: Arrangement of the traditional French carol
SATB choir, congregation, trumpets, trombones, cymbals and snare drum
Premiered December 12, 2010

O Magnum Mysterium
2010 - 3 mins
Commissioned by Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria, BC, Michael Gormley, Director of Music for Service of Nine Lessons and Carols
Text O Magnum Mysterium (Latin)
SATB choir unaccompanied
Premiered December 19, 2010

The Dawning
2011 - 6 mins
Commissioned by Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver BC, Rupert Lang, DIrector of Music (25 years), Vancouver Children's Choir, Rupert Lang, Founder and Director, (25th anniversary), Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir, Gail Suderman, Director (5th anniversary), and to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of the City of Vancouver.
Text The Roman Rite, Trad. Spiritual, Judah Halevi (c.1075-1141)
Two SATB choirs, treble choir, piano, bass, percussion, organ, sax

"The layers of choir, organ and soloist scintillated like threads of gold in a rich brocade tapestry."

Paul Halley

Grammy Award-winning
composer, conductor,
performer

Co-Founder
and Creative Director
Pelagos Incorporated


Director of Music
St. George's Anglican Church Halifax, NS


Director of Music
University of King's College Chapel Halifax, NS


University Musician
Atlantic School of Theology Halifax, NS


Co-Founder
and Artistic Director 1991-2007
Chorus Angelicus
and Gaudeamus
The Battell Chamber Orchestra and Brass, Joyful Noise, Inc., Torrington, CT

Director of Music (2007-2010)
St. George's Anglican Church Halifax, NS


Director of Music (1998-2007)
Trinity Episcopal Church Torrington, CT


Director of Music (1977-1990)
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine NYC


Principal Composer and Keyboardist (1980-1998)
The Paul Winter Consort Litchfield, CT


For Paul Halley's complete bio and more information...