Music

Erik grew up across the river in Collingswood, NJ, where his parents still live. His family is very musical - his mother is the choir director at Haddonfield High School and his father is the assistant librarian at Curtis Institute. Erik began playing the organ in church when he was thirteen and studied with the Rev. J. Bert Carlson, who was also his choir director in the Academy Boys Choir of South Jersey. Carlson became a strong influence in his teenage years and pushed him to pursue a career in church music. Erik then attended the Peabody Institute of Music, where Donald Sutherland was his teacher and mentor. Erik also met his wife, Anna, at Peabody, where she was studying flute. After graduation they married and moved to Erie, where Erik served at Luther Memorial Church, an active downtown parish and school, and taught at Mercyhurst College.

Erik has played over 100 organ recitals through the east and Europe, both solo and duo with Anna. He also composes music, primarily of the sacred choral variety, and has some pieces published. Anna was 2nd flute with the Canton Symphony Orchestra, principal flute with the Erie Chamber Orchestra, a regular substitute with the Erie Philharmonic, and instructor of flute at Mercyhurst.

Outside of the church walls, Erik loves to read, especially 19th century literature. Erik is a beer brewer and was named the #1 homebrewer in Erie in 2009 for a schwarzbier made with Starbucks. Erik loves late 19th century opera, programmatic symphonic works, and movies from the 1930s. He also claims to be a gardener (vegetable), though not an especially good one; but, Erik has learned a lot about humanity from cultivating plantlife! Erik has a daughter, Lydia, and a son, Lukas.