Listening to Jennifer Higdon

Renowned composer Jennifer Higdon is best known for her symphonic pieces Blue Cathedral, Concerto for Orchestra, City Scape, Concerto 4-3 and Violin Concerto (2010 Pulitzer Prize). These compositions illustrate her breadth of style and avant-garde technique, inspired by bluegrass and folk melodies. The author examines these workswith commentary by Higdonas well as the music of her first opera, with a focus on compositional history, musical characteristics, formal analysis and critical reception.