"I love what I do and I do what I love," says Eric
Pandrea, Sacred Heart’s music director.
And what he does can take up every minute of every day,
sometimes until 2 in the morning. He has rental
properties, an antiques business and a staff to help him
run it. He does estate sales, appraisals, and sells
through the Internet.
He is restoring his 1849 historic brick house in
Doylestown, piece by piece, bit by bit, taking sections
apart, cleaning and finishing them to perfection before
reinstalling them. (He worked three years on the slate and
copper roof.)
That is the business side. Then there is the music at
the church and volunteer involvement with Catholic youth
in the area.
Eric began 19 years of music work at Sts. Peter and Paul
in Doylestown when he was 15 as a cantor and player,
eventually becoming music director. "I never intended to
be a music director. But when God opens doors, I usually
walk through them," he said.
Six years ago, after a lot of coaxing he agreed
to play with our Good News Choir once a month. "I said
‘no’ for about six months; I had enough to do; but God had
different plans," he explained.
"When Father Joe came on the scene he was looking for a
music director, and I was on the committee to interview
candidates," Eric recalled. "I am not a teacher; I am a
businessman," he said, but he accepted the position which
included teaching music in all the classrooms along with
the church music
duties. After three years he found he couldn’t do both,
and was very happy when Amanda Porter became the music
teacher at the school.
Pandrea said, "At church we are now regrouping the whole
music program.
It took time for the people to know me, and me them. " He
said former music director Ruth Congrove has been a great
help and asset. "We are working to make the music a great
part of the liturgy. It can make or break it."
Starting in the Fall, he hopes to combine the two adult
choirs, and also have a strong children’s choir and a high
school -college age group, adding more variety to our
music. "I think there is room for all types of music. What
matters is that it is done well, with God in mind, and not
just as entertainment."
Father Joe allows me to have full reign," he said. He
wants to involve more parishioners in the program. "We
need one or two people for keyboard. I’d love a violin or
flute at the 5 p.m. or 11:30 a.m. Masses, and want to
develop the cantor program. I hope people
will pray about it and feel called to help."
— JOAN BRANNIGAN
