Cello Expressions is the home of Nick Halsey‘s projects, including this sheet music library, WordPress plugins, experimental digital design projects, and more.

The sheet music library primarily features arrangements and compositions for cello ensembles (and duets, trios, quartets, and choirs). For over fifteen years, I’ve developed my understanding of the cello and utilization of groups of cellos in creating new music and adapting existing music of all styles. The sheet music library features approximately 165 pieces. Older arrangements are occasionally updated or removed; please download the new version if it’s dated newer than the edition that you have printed.

Most of the music here requires intermediate abilities at a minimum. But, thanks to my involvement with the Boulder Cello Project (2012-2015), many pieces are designed to accommodate mixed-ability cello ensembles. There’s a lot of music here and I’m always working on more. If you’d like me to create a new arrangement or adapt an existing one for a different orchestration or difficulty, feel free to contact me.

Musical Style

My composing and arranging style has gone through several phases. The descriptions below provide context to the style and approach of my compositions and arrangements based on the year published, and may assist with selecting music and performance approach.

Linear Volumes (2009 – 2012)

Most of my music from this period was written for my cello quartet. Quantity and variety of music arranged for cello ensembles were the priority over creativity and distinctness of individual arrangements. I wrote much of this music at the cello and played all of it regularly. Arrangements used the full range of the cello to mimic the voicing of more-traditional ensembles, often at the expense of difficulty. Vivaldi’s Spring, from The Four Seasons is representative of my arranging approach.

Compositions in this time focused largely on specific elements of a piece, such as a melody or bass line, over designing broader stylistic schemes. However, pieces such as Etude #1 for Four Cellos hint at my future contrapuntal style through linear writing in each part. Most of my work from this period is unpublished; three-dozen selections remain available in this sheet music library.

Arpeggiated Ostinatos (2013 – 2015)

Arrangements and compositions written from 2013 to 2015 made up nearly half of this sheet music library until 2024. The largest distinguishing factor in this second period is that I wrote most music without regular access to a cello or piano. I created most compositions and the more-unique arrangements internally and later transcribed them. My arrangements added structure and shaping through varied techniques, timbres, and “orchestrations” (often through selective use of sectional rests). Fantasia on the Dargason, Somebody That I Used to Know, and an expanded Copland-inspired version of Simple Gifts each demonstrate this approach through a variety of genres.

I created most music in this period for the Boulder Cello Project, introducing a broad mix of abilities into a single ensemble. In addition to the mixed-ability arrangements, numerous “expanded” cello ensemble arrangements incorporate one-to-five guest instrumentalists into the cello ensemble. A series of three concerts with Chase the Music premiered these arrangements along with three large-scale compositions: Many Trails, Kati’s Run, and Awe & Joy. These works each leverage expansive arpeggio-based ostinatos that were first developed in White & Blue Spring and typify my writing in this period.

Contrapuntal (2016 – 2022)

While this is the longest period, I wrote the least music during this time: two pieces per year on average. Each piece is focused and offers a distinctive style and approach. Most music is written at the piano or at the cello. Arpeggiated ostinatos and linear part-writing have developed into a contrapuntal style that typically weaves distinctive parts together to create unique compositions and arrangements. This style is especially suited for cello ensembles, where the abundant rhythms and expanded (but not completely atonal) harmonies offer textured kinetic energy.

Angels We Have Heard on High, part of a series of unconventional holiday arrangements for cello trio, introduces the contrapuntal approach through an arrangement that offers three different arpeggiated accompaniments to a repeated melody. Etudes #7-9 for Cello Choir also exhibit this style, with each etude taking a different approach to assembling melodic material through a contrapuntal mix of parts. Decker Rondo and Six Concrete Canoes for Cello Duet each apply this style in just two parts.

Evolved (2023 – present)

My current style coincides with a shift back to producing a higher volume of arrangements in 2023, largely of hymn tunes. It incorporates elements of all three previous phases. The distinctive approach to each arrangement now incorporates consistencies in approach (and occasional repeated musical patterns) across pieces. The hymn tune blog post explores many details of this evolved approach. Atypical harmonies continue to play a larger role in my style, with both consonance and dissonance adding texture and contrast selectively. Pieces use varied techniques less frequently and more intentionally in favor of focus on range-based timbre. Most pieces are conceived for a specific orchestration and designed accordingly through development, to the nuanced detail of distinguishing cello quartet pieces from four-part cello ensemble pieces.

While I have written few new compositions in this period, the volume and variety of arrangements include a large amount of original work. PATMOS, LAUDES DOMINI, and RESTORATION are examples where short hymn tunes are developed into complete works with adapted rhythms and varied accompaniments. Volume also correlates with increased speed. Many arrangements are now developed in one sitting, enabling more cohesion and focus to the approach within a particular piece.

This present compositional style will likely continue evolving over time. After a clear distinction can be made, this page will be updated accordingly.