their flocks? Traditionally, men and women of the cloth are perceived as pious beings who devote their entire lives to the work of God with neither time nor thought for anything else. But as one clergyman pointed out, "We're human beings too. We have other interests.'' Today, we continue our series about the clergy and their hobbies, in which we go behind the collars and learn about their favourite pastimes.

For Father Robert Thacker, it's a case of "love me, love my piano,'' for the West Virginian-born rector of St. Mark's church, Smith's Parish totes his beloved baby grand with him wherever he goes.

Bought on the never-never plan when he was a newly ordained priest, the softly lustred mahogany instrument was the realisation of a dream come true.

From the age of five, pianos have always held a particular fascination for Fr.

Thacker, though it wasn't until he was 14 that serious studies began.

His earliest memories of the ivories go back to monthly visits to his grandmother's home where he was allowed to bang happily upon the keys. As he grew older the youngster became convinced he wanted to study music, but was less successful in persuading his parents to purchase a piano for what might turn out to be a childhood whim.

An aptitute test administered in the fifth grade led to the recommendation that young Robert receive "musical training'', but the much-wanted piano continued to elude him. Instead, he chose the clarinet.

"My parents told me that if I stuck with it and showed an on-going interest in music they would get me a piano later on. As it turned out they did,'' Fr.

Thacker said.

Meanwhile, he did so well with the clarinet that he wound up playing in the school band.

Finally, at 14, he got his wish: Piano lessons and ultimately a piano from his parents.

"Piano was my first love, and I wanted to be a pianist,'' he said, "so I auditioned for a music scholarship and got it, and when I left high school I went to the Sherwood School of Music in Chicago, studying under Dr. Leo Podolsky.'' Although he had seemingly set sail on his life's course, it was with a somewhat troubled heart.

"Before college I had always thought I wanted to be a minister, but I was a member of a fundamentalist church which was very aggressive and I just didn't feel comfortable going up and asking people if they were saved and quoting scripture at them,'' he explained.

Indeed, for a time the college student even turned a casual back on the church -- until he heard about an Episcopalian (Anglican) church with a reputation for good music. The more he visited it, the better he liked the whole operation -- and the more his thoughts returned to becoming a clergyman.

Finally, he took his dilemma to a priest and was advised to carry on with his music. He was assured that, in the fullness of time, it would become clear to him where his true calling lay.

"At some point it did become to clear to me that I should become a priest and I went to visit the dean of a seminary. He advised me that a liberal arts background would be better preparation for the seminary than music, so I left the music school and majored in history with a minor in music.'' Thus it was that, in 1963, Robert Thacker graduated from Virginia State College with not only a Bachelor's degree but also a musical track record that included accompanying and touring with the College choir, and being organist and choirmaster at All Saints' Episcopal Church.

In 1966, having successfully completed his studies at the Nashotah House Theological Seminary and graduating with a Master of Divinity degree, Robert Thacker became an ordained priest.

Forced to put his music "on hold'' while completing his theological studies, it wasn't long before Fr. Thacker was lured back to it through his first posting to a children's summer programme, when he discovered a piano in the parish hall and succumbed to its charms.

"I decided that I wanted to play the piano again, and during a visit home I went into a music store for some reason. There was a piano sitting on the floor. I sat down and played it and said, `I have to have this'.'' Undaunted by its price tag, the newly-ordained priest successfully negotiated a long-term hire purchase agreement with the store owner.

"The payments were so low that I must have paid for it four times over in interest!'' he joked. "I couldn't afford it but I wanted it, and it has been a part of me ever since. Although it took years and years and years to pay it off, it was worth it.'' Today, after travels to West Virginia, New York and Virginia, it occupies pride of place in the gracious living room of St. Mark's rectory.

But guests beware! It takes a very persuasive person to get the silver-haired clergyman with the snappy matching moustache and gentle voice to play for anyone other than his family.

"In music school, perfection was the name of the game and it takes a lot of work to keep your technique up to the quality that you would like, so since I hadn't got back to that level I didn't want to play for anybody, knowing that I could play better,'' he explained.

Until he met US Consular officer Miss Barbara Johnson, that is.

"I don't know what caused me to do it but Barbara was here with us for dinner one evening and persuaded me to play something. I didn't do it very well but she said, `I'm going to tell Marjorie Bean. She arranges musical programmes for the Business & Professional Women's Association of Bermuda'. I didn't think much more about it.'' When Dr. Bean called, Fr. Thacker imagined he would be playing "one or two pieces for a luncheon or something'' and thought it would be a good incentive to practise more.

"But when I went to talk to her I found out it was a bit more than that, and Dr. Bean is a very persuasive lady who doesn't take no for an answer,'' he admitted.

Specifically, she had booked him to participate in a full-blown Heritage Month concert -- on the stage of City Hall, no less.

"I started practising like mad,'' Fr. Thacker recalled, "Then I realised I needed somebody else to listen to what I was doing and give me some feedback so I contacted Mr. Graham Garton, who was very helpful and from whom I have learned a great deal.'' Fr. Thacker now plans to take regular lessons with Mr. Garton "because if I don't have something to keep me accountable I won't practise on a regular basis''.

Describing his musical tastes as "eclectic'', the rector of St. Mark's particularly enjoys playing Bach, Beethoven and Chopin.

"Chopin is difficult to play well because it is so romantic that it is easy to get carried away with it,'' he explained. "I think it is harder to be disciplined rather than schmaltzy. I am a schmaltzy person to begin with so my discipline has to be good to stay in control.'' As with all people in demanding jobs, the busy priest and family man finds music a wonderful escape.

"Music is a way to enter a different world in a sense -- to leave everything else behind for a while.'' ALL KEYED UP! Father Robert Thacker enjoys playing his beloved baby grand, which travels everywhere with him. Before switching to theology, the Anglican priest began college life in pursuit of a music degree. No stranger to public performance, he made his Bermuda debut in a Heritage Month concert at City Hall this year.