Jennifer Higdon

About

A composer of great renown, holding strings of awards and acclimations, Jennifer Higdon is an artist to be heard, studied, and revered. With pieces performed countlessly across the globe, she is one of the most popular American composers of Classical Music of our time.

"I’m thankful that the days where people would say to me, “I can’t believe a woman wrote that!” have passed. I haven’t had that comment in quite a few years."
Interview with Classical FM Boston 99.5Int

A pioneer of not only Contemporary Classical Music but for women composers of our time, Higdon is an absolute inspiration for artist around the Globe. Vouching and pushing for Women Composers and Artist across the Continents, Higdon vies to lead by example and push the boundaries for Women. "Half the world’s population are women" and the Classical world of music just has to keep up with the pop world. She encourages all women to never give in to people telling young girls they "cant".

"Persistence is Everything"

A Short Biography:

Jennifer Higdon, born in Brooklyn, New York, December 31, 1962 had no introduction to classical music till the late age of 15, and had no formal training until 18. Despite these setbacks, Higdon was able to create a name for herself, as well as acquire numerous accolades across a wide genre of music. Her fresh and distinct style was accessible to many ears worldwide and her popularity and frequency to which her pieces are played, is a testament to that fact. Having studied at Bowling Green State University (Bachelors in flute ), the University of Pennsylvania (Masters. and Ph.D. in composition), and the Curtis Institute of Music (Artist Diploma), her musical education as well as her innate talent propelled her into the Classical Music world.

When did Jennifer Higdon first dive into music?

At the age of 15, Higdon started her musical journey by teaching herself how to play the flute. And despite such a late start, she was able to develop her skills along with honing her ear, which was keen to begin with.

The Composer and The Listener

"My top priority in composing is the performer and the audience. I think the music should be moving and memorable. The audience shouldn’t need a Ph.D. to understand it, and even if it’s your very first classical concert, the music should still speak to you."

Interview with Classical FM Boston 99.5

Higdon's approach to composing music shows just how versatile her mindset is. It also is a driving factor as to why her music is played as much as it is: it's accessible, beautiful, and appealing to a wide range of people; universal in goal. And she is able to achieve this, if not close to this, without a sacrifice in quality.

With more than 200 performances a year of her works, her pieces are among the most frequently performed. Blue cathedral, written for orchestra, is one of the most performed contemporary works, with 650+ performances since its first reveal in 2000.