Jennifer Higdon (born December 31, 1962, Brooklyn) is an American composer of contemporary classical music, a Pulitzer Prize winner (2010) and three-time Grammy recipient. She ranks among the most frequently performed living composers in the United States, with her works receiving hundreds of performances annually worldwide. She is best known for the orchestral tone poem blue cathedral, her Violin Concerto, and the opera Cold Mountain - the first American opera to win the International Opera Award for Best World Premiere.
The orchestral work Time Abounds, commissioned by the Chicago Youth Symphony for its 80th anniversary, had its world premiere on May 17, 2026.
The new work Dance Measures for New World Symphony and Miami City Ballet had its world premiere in April 2026.
The opera Woman with Eyes Closed had a sold-out world premiere at Pittsburgh Opera (April 26 - May 4, 2025); demand required the addition of a fifth performance.
NPR published an extensive interview with Higdon as one of the most performed living composers, who insists on the melodic nature and accessibility of her music.
Higdon completed the second part of her residency at SUNY Fredonia as part of the prestigious Claudette Sorel Visiting Artist program (March 5-8, 2025).
