Graphite Publishing
Big Lake, MN
763.545.1801

Jocelyn Hagen – Owner
Timothy C. Takach – Owner
Heather Nelson – Project Manager
Laura Krider – Project Manager
Erika Malpass – Manager of Communications and Digital Media
Jon Campbell – Repertoire Specialist

Graphite Publishing is an online vocal music publisher of digital scores. Graphite publishes quality compositions where excellence and accessibility meet: unique yet emotional; challenging yet appealing; innovative and enjoyable to experience. Graphite was founded by composers Jocelyn Hagen and Timothy C. Takach.

What’s unique about Graphite Publishing?

Graphite promotes talented composers and quality new music, music that has the power and ability to enhance any concert program. Some concert music pushes musical frontiers but compromises audience comprehension and enjoyment. Some tips the scale heavily toward accessibility. Graphite evens the balance by cultivating excellent composers who can write vocal music with distinction and craft and yet is still accessible to the artist and audience.

Think about Graphite as an art gallery rather than a museum. In a museum one will find one or two works by many different artists in an effort to represent a certain style, or period. A gallery represents a few artists, artists who create with a similar view to excellence and skill. Here you’ll find a large catalog of music by a cultivated list of a composers.

In terms of marketability, it’s easiest to liken Graphite to specific music series put out by other publishers. A music series editor builds trust with artists who buy that music, and we build this same trust as an entire company, rather than as an edited series.

In 2016 Graphite began distributing the music of other independent publishers which can be found in our Marketplace.

As a composer, what are the benefits of publishing my works through Graphite?

The benefit of publishing through Graphite is that we have created a network of composers that help promote each other. If a conductor loves work by Composer #1, and they learn to trust the material coming out of Graphite, they will give Composer #2 a chance, looking for the same high quality and accessibility the received from Composer #1, because both composers are connected by the Graphite name.

Also, Graphite has a priority to pay composers a high royalty for their work – one of the highest in the business. We’re a company that was created by and for composers. Graphite believes that the composer should get the most profit from the sale of his or her creative product.

Are there any costs incurred by the composer?

No. This is a cultivated collection of composers, not a place where composers pay to have their music sold. One of Graphite’s main goals is to promote composers, and we do not believe that a composer should have to pay upfront fees to have his or her work published.

I’ve heard that Graphite pays a generous royalty. Is this true?

Since 2006, Graphite has prioritized paying composers a high royalty for their work – one of the highest in the business. Graphite believes that the composer should get the most profit from the sale of his or her creative product. We also believe we are a true alternative to traditional publishing houses and self-publishing, and so we have a responsibility to be as beneficial to the composer as possible.

The concept we have adopted offers scores in pdf format that are instantly downloaded by a customer. The customer pays a license for the number of scores they intend to make, downloads the file, and then the transaction is complete. We avoid costs of printing, storing inventory, and shipping. We do need to cover the cost of digital online storage, file delivery and upkeep of the website, but most of the overhead of selling hard copies of music is avoided.

What is the typical score price?

Most choral scores published by Graphite sold online are between $1.50-$2.35 a copy. Customers buy the pdf and a license for the copies they will make. We have a minimum order amount. The price of music distributed by Graphite from other publishers is set by those publishers. Scores for smaller ensembles (art songs, etc), are priced based on length at comparable prices. ($3.50-$25).

Do you have dealer pricing?

Graphite only has permission to sell certain publishers’ music to dealers. Scores purchased by dealers are sold at rates different than for our individual customers. The following equation is used to determine printed prices: (Listed PDF Score Price x Number of Scores) + (Cost of Printing) + (Cost of Shipping) = (Total Price). For dealers wanting licensed digital scores, there is a flat $5.00 service fee in place of the above printing and shipping costs. Please reach out if you would like specific estimates for your POs.



With Graphite’s online sale of pdf documents, what’s to say that someone won’t pay for 20 copies of a piece and print 40?

Many people are concerned with copyright infringment in today’s world of the digital market. We believe that there is an equal chance of someone illegally copying pdf documents as there is traditional sheet music. We ask our customers to be honest and to help support the people who are creating this music!

1: (Easy) No divisi in voice parts, accompaniment doubles or supports vocal parts, diatonic, symmetrical phrases, textures mostly homophonic, simple rhythms, stepwise voice leading (conjunct), moderate ranges, no extended techniques, and limited sustained singing.

2: (Medium Easy) Limited divisi, voices somewhat independent from accompaniment, some chromatics, phrases may be longer or more fragmented, mostly homophonic, moderate rhythmic complexity, some difficult intervals (disjunct motion), moderate ranges, extended techniques are simple, limited sustained singing.

3. (Medium) Limited divisi, unaccompanied, or with independent accompaniment (voice parts not doubled), many chromatics, phrases of varying lengths, more contrapuntal textures, moderately complex rhythms, some difficult intervals (disjunct motion), moderately difficult/challenging ranges, extended techniques are potentially challenging, and some sustained singing.

4. (Medium Difficult) Abundant divisi, unaccompanied, or accompanying instruments are fully independent from voice parts, many chromatics and/or key changes, long and/or broken phrases, potentially little homophony, complex rhythms, many difficult intervals (disjunct motion), difficult/challenging ranges, potentially difficult extended techniques, and a demand for sustained singing.

5. (Difficult) Adundant divis, unaccompanied, or accompanying instruments are fully independent from voice parts, many chromatics and/or key changes, long and/or broken phrases, potentially little homophony, complex rhythms, extreme ranges, use of challenging or unusual extended vocal techniques, abundant sustained singing.