This year’s Candlelight Christmas Concerts — Dec. 3 through Dec. 5 at Elizabeth Hall’s Lee Chapel and Dec. 6 at the First United Methodist Church of Orlando — certainly won’t need any extra emotion. Floor to ceiling, the setting and songs are filled with spirited sentiment.

Consider this description from United Arts of Central Florida, the region’s leading local arts agency: “For more than 100 years, the School of Music’s jubilant choirs and musicians have been captivating audiences with its annual, breathtaking performance, which has evolved into an evening dedicated to sacred music from various cultural and religious traditions celebrated during the holidays, including beloved audience carols sung together, surrounded by choristers.”

Yet, this year, expect the nostalgia to ramp up multiple octaves.

On Dec. 6, following the final performance of the 2025 Christmas Candlelight Concerts, the beloved conductor, Timothy Peter, DMA, will raise his Candlelight Concert baton one last time as Stetson’s Director of Choral Activities. After beginning his Stetson tenure in August 2012, Peter has announced his retirement, effective in May 2026.

An era of glory, joy and impact will come to an end.

All those years ago, when the professor of music from Luther College in Iowa was named Stetson’s new director of choral activities, the introductory words used by his former dean were “dynamic leadership,” “artistry” and “magnetism.”

Now, the parting words from his current dean are “admiration,” “remarkable” and “selflessness.”

“Through his vision and leadership, Dr. Timothy Peter has elevated our choral program to new levels of excellence and engagement,” commented School of Music Dean Washington Garcia, DMA. “My admiration for him extends beyond his remarkable gifts as an educator to his genuine selflessness — always putting others first and fostering collaboration that unites colleagues, students and the broader community. In my career as both a musician and administrator, he stands out as one of the most positive and constructive colleagues I have ever had the privilege to work with. He will be deeply missed by all of us at Stetson and throughout the wider community.”

In characteristic style, Peter deflected the high praise and offered another word, “gratitude.”

“I wouldn’t have ever been able to tell you when I was starting out as a new choral conductor that 40 years later I would have been able to get to do the things I’ve done. And that truly is because of the generosity of people around me,” said Peter, who was a public high-school teacher before spending 35 years in higher education. “I’m grateful for the experiences, even as small as meetings with students in my office, talking about their lives, their challenges, goals and their successes.”

Peter came to Stetson because he was struck by both the excellence of the School of Music and the university’s student-centric approach. “That was something I immediately recognized,” he added.

“As I look back, if I’m beloved, it’s only because we continue to recruit and work with students at Stetson who are passionate and sincere, and that is what has inspired me,” he continued. “I will say whenever a student is a part of either a conversation or in the hallway, that’s my glimmer; that’s where I recharge. … Wherever I have taught, my mission is always building confidence in students so they can go out and do anything.”

Those students include Nicholas Dieux, a baritone Voice major who graduated last May. Peter convinced Dieux to reconsider a commitment elsewhere and attend Stetson. Then Peter helped to ensure that decision was correct. “If it weren’t for Dr. Peter,” Dieux said, “I wouldn’t be an ounce of the person I am today.”

Junior Eloisy Mendonca Goncalves, a mezzo-soprano, describes Peter as the “warmest soul” and an “inspiration for many.” Her words: “When I got to Stetson, he already welcomed me and showed me what a beautiful place Stetson is by one smile. Dr. Peter unifies and is a fearless leader always leading with kindness. His impact and legacy are deeply rooted.”

Similarly, junior Sophia (Phia) Maritz, a Vocal Music Education major, said Peter is the “person who brought me to Stetson,” adding: “His unending kindness spreads a blanket of light throughout the school of music and anytime I have an interaction with him my day gets better.”

This Year’s Candlelight Concerts

As Peter prepares for his grand finale, he hopes to deliver the same and more.

The Candlelight Christmas Concerts date back on campus more than 100 years ago, originally performed by the Stetson Glee Club, and evolved through the decades, performing Handel’s Messiah and taking its present-day form in the 1990s. With Peter’s arrival, he added all student choirs to perform and many instrumentalists, including strings, winds, brass, percussion and, of course, the beautiful Beckerath pipe organ. Today, the music selections are rooted in sacred holiday traditions and some annual traditions, as well as a blend of cultures.

This year, the theme is “Arise,” meant to uplift and build community together. “This is a chance to think about rise, to look up and forward,” Peter explained. “… . I think we’re at a point where all voices and all people should be able to come together and rise in unity for a musical event. Honestly, a highpoint each year is hearing the room swell with all audience members and Stetson students singing and playing together on some of our most cherished Christmas carols.”

Peter will share conductor duties with Pingyi Song, DMA, assistant professor of Music, originally from China. 

Also, Dan Forrest, PhD, widely recognized as one of today’s leading American choral composers, has written some of this year’s music — “fresher new music,” Peter said. Although Forrest won’t be present at the concerts, he will be on campus in residency, working with the choirs and instrumentalists in November.

Finally, as is longtime tradition, the concerts will conclude with a stirring rendition of “Silent Night,” arranged by Peter’s conducting colleague and spouse, Sandra Peter, DMA, who had been on the Stetson choral faculty since 2016 before retiring in May 2024. Each year, the song, complete with an elaborate lighting of candles, represents a signature moment.

Tim Peter is preparing for those final minutes.

While he will remain at Stetson through the spring semester and, in fact, is heavily engaged in recruiting the next class of School of Music students, he knows Silent Night will bring its own nostalgia, maybe even a few tears.

“I will certainly allow myself to be vulnerable and open as to what my emotions are,” he said. “That’s who I am as a personality. It will be in a moment to reflect. … So, in those last eight or 10 minutes, I know I’m just going to be grateful that I’ve had that chance to have 40 years of Christmas concerts and 35 of those on a university campus with some of the greatest students ever. “After all, Silent Night is about ‘Love’s pure light’ and what that mean for all of us together in that moment.

“I’ll think about people in those last minutes, and how many people I’ve been touched by and had a chance to build a relationship with. … I’ll reflect on the blessings of my family, dear friends, and all those students and colleagues in those last few minutes.”

-Michael Candelaria