Sunday
April 19, 2026
3:00 p.m.
Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist
$10 suggested donation
A sacred choral music festival featuring Requiem by Maurice Duruflé.
The choirs of Eastern Washington University and Gonzaga University, conducted by Geoffrey Boers, DMA.
Program
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Conductor
Geoffrey Boers, DMA, is Director of Choral Activities at the University of Washington in Seattle, a program widely recognized as forward-thinking, unique, and of great distinction. Under his direction, the graduate choral program has developed a singular mission: to nurture the whole student as conductor-teacher-servant-leader-scholar. This vision has led the program to become one of the most vibrant and innovative in the country, attracting students from around the world interested in exploring the future of our art. Through his teaching, he is exploring the evolution of conducting gesture and rehearsal pedagogy and their connection with the emerging neuroscience of mirror neurons, empathy, perception, learning, and personal transformation. His exploration has led to new thoughts about conducting and teaching with regard to breath, movement, artistry, personal awareness, and cultural development.
Dr. Boers maintains an active conducting, teaching, workshop, and clinic schedule. His recent engagements have included conducting concerts in Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, Meyerson Concert Hall in Dallas, New York’s Alice Tully and Avery Fischer Hall at Lincoln Center, the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, and Benaroya Hall in Seattle. He has served as artist-in-residence in Toronto, Ontario, Mainz, Germany, as well as Seoul, South Korea, with the world-renowned Incheon City Chorale.
Eastern Washington University Choir
Kristina Ploeger-Hekmatpanah, DMA – conductor
Kristina Ploeger-Hekmatpanah, DMA, earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Kentucky. She is a professor of music at Eastern Washington University serving as director of choral activities and coordinator of undergraduate music education. Previously, she was the artistic director of the Spokane Area Youth Choirs, and director of Spokane Symphony Chorale. She did periodic adjunct work at Gonzaga University and Whitworth University, St. George’s School, West Valley High School (Spokane Valley), Everett High School, Ephrata High School, and A.C. Davis High School (Yakima).
Ploeger-Hekmatpanah has served on the Washington American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) board in four repertoire and standards chair positions. She is the current president-elect of Washington ACDA. She has presented numerous times for state and all-northwest National Association for Music Education/Washington Music Educators conventions and Washington ACDA summer institutes. Directing honor groups and all-state choirs in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Kentucky from elementary through high school levels has allowed her to work with a wonderful array of choristers and directors.
Gonzaga University Choir
Meg Stohlmann, DMA – conductor
Meg Stohlmann, DMA, is director of choral and vocal studies at Gonzaga University. She conducts the Glee Club, Concert Choir, and Chamber Singers. Additionally, Stohlmann serves as director of the Spokane Symphony Chorale.
Stohlmann earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Washington and Master of Vocal Performance and Choral Conducting degree from the University of Kentucky. A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Stohlmann served on active duty in the Air Force for five years in Arizona, Korea, and Germany. She separated from the military in 2004 to pursue a second bachelor’s degree in music education at Sonoma State University.
Most recently, she was assistant professor of choral music education in the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. She conducted the Appalachian Glee Club, Appalachian Chorale, Appalachian Youth Chorale, and mentored many pre-service music educators. Stohlmann is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and serves on the northwest region’s board. She was also selected as one of six conductors to participate in the ACDA International Conductor Exchange program; in 2023, she hosted a conductor from Germany and traveled to Germany during the summer to represent the United States.
Originally from Santa Rosa, Calif., Stohlmann taught choir and guitar at the middle and high school levels in Lexington, Ky., for six years and conducted the Danville Children’s Choir. Her children’s choir and high school advanced women’s choir performed at the Kentucky Music Educators state conference in 2014 and 2015, respectively.
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