What makes a life? After the early death of her younger brother, Andrew Blue, this question consumed composer Jennifer Higdon. Her beloved orchestral work, Blue Cathedral was her creative answer to that question. Blue…like the sky. Where all possibilities soar. Cathedrals…a place of thought, growth, spiritual expression…serving as a symbolic doorway into and out of this world. Join Amy Scurria this week for a very personal conversation with Pulitzer prize and 3 time Grammy award winning composer, Jennifer Higdon about her life, her meteoric rise to prominence in the music world, and how she has adapted to pandemic life.
* List of works played on this episode:
1. The Shallows for string trio and orchestra, from Jennifer Higdon's "Concerto 4-3", commissioned by the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony, and the Wheeling Symphony. Performed by Time for Three and The Fort Worth Symphony with Miguel Harth-Bedoya conducting.
2. Our Beautiful Country for men's chorus, from Jennifer Higdon's opera, Cold Mountain based upon the novel by Charles Frazier with a libretto by Gene Scheer. Commissioned by the Santa Fe Opera, Opera Philadelphia, and the North Carolina Opera. Performance by Chanticleer from their CD, Heart of a Soldier.
3. Pale Yellow from Jennifer Higdon's Piano Trio. Commissioned by the Bravo-Vail Music Festival. Performed by Anna Akiko Meyers on violin, Alisa Weilerstein on cello, and Adam Neiman on piano. This work is available for purchase on the Naxos CD: "Jennifer Higdon: Piano Trio, Voices, Impressions"
4. Blue Cathedral for full orchestra. Commissioned by the Curtis Institute of Music. Performed by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with Robert Spano conducting. This work is available for purchase on the Telarc CD: "Rainbow Body"