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. The author examines these works--with commentary by Higdon--as well as the music of her first opera, with a focus on compositional history, musical characteristics, formal analysis and critical reception.