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Commission a piece
The next four commissions I receive from this site will enjoy a significantly reduced rate. To ensure your satisfaction, there will be no charge until the final product is accepted.
Stephen J. Doughty, director of the Chorus of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, on working with Jay:
"My first experience of Jay Wilcox' wonderfully lyrical music was his Christmas piece, Welcome all wonders, which was a big hit here in Scotland, both in its organ accompaniment but especially when employing the brass quintet version. The combination of Jay's rich harmonies and a composing style that ensured his music could be sung effectively by amateur singers resonated with me, so I was absolutely delighted when Jay approached me with the offer of composing a new work for the Garleton Singers, a Scottish amateur mixed-voice choir of some 70 voices.
"I had perhaps unusual requirements: a piece that could be performed both with 2 pianos and percussion, but also a fully idiomatic organ accompaniment. Jay rose to the challenge wonderfully, and I have been extremely delighted with the final result: an imaginative use of the different timbres and a choral piece that is extremely well written for the singers.
"It was also a joy to have regular discussions with Jay over the music during the composition process, who was very open to suggestions and amendments; all in all a stimulating and wonderful creative process resulting in a significant work that I hope to revisit regularly."
Music that serves your choir
Tailored to Your Ensemble
Jay asks detailed questions about ensemble size, comfortable vocal ranges, divisi capability, and instrumental resources before composing. He writes at difficulty levels matched to specific choirs, from volunteer groups to advanced ensembles.
Rich, Sophisticated Sound at Manageable Difficulty
Jay works within a fundamentally tonal framework enriched with extended harmonies (ninth and eleventh chords), modal inflections, and unresolved seconds. His organ writing features independent accompaniments that support and elevate the vocal parts.
The result is music with the harmonic richness and beauty of Howells, Rutter, Lauridsen, and Paulus, but written to be accessible to your ensemble, including non-professional church choirs.
Melodic Lines for All Voices
As a lifelong singer and professional countertenor for decades, Jay understands what makes a part engaging to sing, and thus writes interesting lines for all singers. His melodies are long, lyrical, and fluid, and give all voices something meaningful to sing.
Text-Driven Composition
Jay is deeply attentive to the texts he sets, crafting music that expresses and illuminates meaning. His settings have been described as "profoundly expressive and musical" and "free from the usual Christmas 'schmaltz' and hysteria." – Stephen J. Doughty, director of the Chorus of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Commission a New Work
Jay welcomes commissions for:
• Anthems for church services (various difficulty levels)
• Extended works for choir and instruments for churches and choral societies
• Service music (canticles, mass settings, etc.)
• Works for specific liturgical occasions or seasons
Jay brings over four decades of practical church music experience--as a singer, organist, and conductor--to every composition.
The Collaborative Process: What Working with Jay Looks Like
Jay builds in review processes well before final deadlines. You will see drafts, offer feedback, and help shape the piece to better serve your ensemble and occasion. He's responsive to suggestions and willing to make revisions so that your ensemble can sound its best. He will deliver the final score before it is due.
Jay can provide multiple versions of a work when appropriate - for example, Welcome All Wonders exists in both brass quintet and organ versions. For his most recent work, Canticle of Creation, he created an organ reduction for continental European performances, and he has frequently adapted scores for instruments with different ranges.
Contact
Please feel free to contact Jay via email at jaywilcox1685@gmail.com. If an in-person meeting to discuss your inquiry proves difficult, a phone number will be provided in response to your email to facilitate a discussion.
Let’s Work Together
Get in touch so we can start working together.
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