# re: Joan Higdon's Blue Cathedral - **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2019, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-joan-higdons-blue-cathedral/844712 "2019-12-11T15:32:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-joan-higdons-blue-cathedral/844712/1 "2019-12-11T15:32:10Z")
At the CSO concert last night, toward the end of this piece, I noticed the harp player looking like she was scratching her arm. Then I noticed several people in the orchestra, not playing but looking as if they were lightly shaking something in their closed hands. I thought I might have heard something very faintly, as if they were making some sort of noise, but I can’t be sure. Anyone know what was happening? ---
**Author:** ![Hoops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoops/32/6408_2.png) [@Hoops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoops)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2019, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-joan-higdons-blue-cathedral/844712/2 "2019-12-12T00:29:51Z")
They are using [Baoding Balls](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baoding_balls). They make a quiet chime when you rotate them in your hand. You can see it in [this performance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_uFd83ExMg) starting at 14:40. I’m guessing not many people have heard of this piece before, but by modern classical music standards, it’s quite popular and is [among the most performed orchestral pieces by a living American composer.](https://www.operaphila.org/whats-on/on-stage-2015-2016/cold-mountain/composer/) (NB: it’s _Jennifer_ Higdon, not Joan) ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2019, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-joan-higdons-blue-cathedral/844712/3 "2019-12-12T14:47:00Z")
Excellent. Thanks very much. Yep - Jennifer, not Joan.