Lighting the Season in Song
When cold air starts to sting rosy cheeks and bright orange leaves morph into swirling snowflakes – some might call it the holiday season. But in the Gonzaga Music Department, it’s more like the season of Meg Stohlmann.
Stohlmann, director of choral and vocal studies, leads the sleigh when it comes to the University's most iconic musical celebration – the Candlelight Christmas Concert.
The longstanding Gonzaga tradition includes “everyone,” says Stohlmann, meaning all three choirs under her direction, the Treble Choir, the Glee Club and the Concert Choir, and the University's only a cappella group, the Big Bing Theory. Outside of Gonzaga, she also oversees the Spokane Symphony Chorale and is helping to produce a number of their iconic holiday shows.
“Basically, anything that includes singing falls under my purview,” she laughs.
Needless to say, it’s a busy time of year. Running from one rehearsal to the next, every day, with multiple performances of each show she directs, might all sound like too much for one person. But Stohlmann’s passion for music was woven into her DNA.
Her mother studied music in college, and her father was a pastor. From a young age she performed in church and community choirs and took piano lessons, but she never thought of it as a career because it didn’t seem “practical.” She joined the Air Force with the intention of going to medical school and served for five years before what she describes as an “Aha!” moment made her pivot.
“I just couldn’t kick the music habit,” Stohlmann says. So, she went back to school to get a degree in music education, a master’s in choral conducting and vocal performance, and then a doctorate in choral conducting. That led her to teach choral music education at Appalachian State University in North Carolina, and then eventually to Gonzaga, where she’s held her position for the last four years.
It’s a career path that’s given her a unique and valuable perspective for 51³Ô¹Ïs: “Do the thing that makes you happy and that you’re passionate about and worry about the money later. I see a lot of 51³Ô¹Ïs who are unhappy with what they’re studying but feel like it’s the right thing to do to be successful.”
She says the definition of success looks different for everyone.
Stohlmann is grateful to have ended up here, pursuing the one passion she just couldn’t shake, as she prepares for her biggest performances of the year.
The Candlelight Christmas Concert has been a beloved part of the holiday season at Gonzaga for decades. Originally held in St. Aloysius then moved to Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center in 2019, the concert runs 90 minutes with no intermission, a full immersive experience that starts and ends in darkness. After the transition to the MWPAC, Stohlmann evolved the performance from the caroling service it once was without losing its original meaning.
“I’ve tried to maintain the fact that we are a Jesuit University while staying mindful of the fact that not everyone in our community is Catholic,” she explains. “I want to create a show where everyone can find something to connect with.”
This year, Stohlmann included an ode to her graduating seniors in the set list. Gaudete, an ancient 16th century chant set to drums by a modern composer, was a part of the concert four years ago. A fan-favorite then, those same 51³Ô¹Ïs get to perform it for their last Candlelight Concert.
“Music is a vital part of how we express ourselves, especially around the holidays,” she says. “It can really take you to a different place, just for a bit.”