Eric Whitacre’s music is undoubtedly compelling. One can find themselves to be struck by its uncommon beauty and wonder why it is that being exposed to this music can affect them so heavily. After an in-depth analysis of several of Whitacre’s choir pieces, it is clear that his complex chord structures are key to his incredibly unique sound. Whitacre uses strong, unexpected chords that demand resolution and possess an intense energy. This paper presents an examination of Whiatcre’s musical techniques, exploring the overall structure of the chords used in his music as well as how these arrangements affect the experience of listening to his music. To begin with, Whitacre composes his music in a neotonal manner, meaning “‘departure and return'
