Date of Award

Fall 2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Music (MM)

Department

Music Theory and Composition

Committee Chairperson

Jacob Cooper, D.M.A.

Committee Member

Robert Maggio, Ph.D

Committee Member

Alexander Rozin, Ph.D

Abstract

“Enneasongs” is a collection of nine original songs composed, performed, recorded, mixed, and mastered by myself, based off of the nine personality types within the psychological personality structure known as the Enneagram. The Enneagram is a nine-sided symbol that expresses the full range of basic human core fears, desires, weaknesses, and longings. Each of the nine personality ego structures (named, accordingly, “One,” “Two,” Three,” etc.) functions primarily from either the head, the heart, or the body. The nine songs each accompany a different personality type through the journey from living out of disintegrated coping mechanisms to living wholeheartedly and authentically, all portrayed through lyric, composition, timbre, and order/structure. Additionally, I have spent 30+ hours interviewing multiple people who identify with each type, asking them to share the good, the bad, and the unknown of their types and stories from their childhood. Each song contains either paraphrased or direct quotes from the interviewees and incorporates their stories. The intentional order of each piece showcases the fluidity of the Enneagram as each type moves to the high side of another as growth begins to take place (e.g. the strict, rule-following Type One moves to the playful, spontaneous Type Seven in growth). Following the design of the Enneagram, the songs are split into two independent collections with One, Seven, Five, Eight, Two, and Four in the first collection, and Three, Six, and Nine in the second. The full album is available at this link.

Enneasongs.zip (50737 kB)
Full length album

Whitted - M.Mus Thesis.pdf (314 kB)
Program Notes

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Composition Commons

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