The Rev. Joseph Bronder heeded two callings in his life: music and religious service. At St. Vincent College in Unity, he combined them to inspire students and parishioners.

Chair of the department of music from 1972 to 2002 and a concert pianist, Father Bronder founded the St. Vincent Concert Series and for many years directed the school's Camerata and other choirs. Last year, the college established the annual Bronder Prize for Piano.

"[He was] an excellent and demanding professor and instructor," said college President Jim Towey.

Father Bronder died Wednesday from complications of Parkinson's disease and cancer. He was 66.

"He always saw the good side of any individual and was always optimistic about what challenges life had for him," said Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki. "That was reflected in his music. He set high standards for himself as a youth, a desire to be an accomplished musician, and he achieved that."

Father Bronder was born in 1942 in Mount Oliver to Edmund and Elizabeth Bronder. As a youth, religion was central to his life, as was St. Vincent.

He graduated from St. Vincent Preparatory School in 1960, St. Vincent College with a bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1965 and St. Vincent Seminary with a master of divinity degree in 1969. He entered the Benedictine St. Vincent Archabbey in 1962 and was ordained in 1969.

But music also coursed through Father Bronder.

He took up the piano at age 5 and continued to play through college, where he also studied conducting. After his ordination, he decided to focus further on music, getting a master's at Yale University in 1972. He played more than 80 recitals during his life.

Moving back to the college, he transformed its department of music.

"He was the force that created a strong cultural program at St. Vincent in terms of music," said Archabbot Nowicki.

"He was exacting," said a former student, Rebecca Snyder of Ligonier. "He would time student recitals down to the second, and you would start not a second later. It was his way to make sure that everything went smoothly."

Even the student ushers would hear from Father Bronder.

"They had to be dressed properly," Archabbot Nowicki said, laughing.

"But at the same time he had a terrific sense of humor and was a warm spirit," said Mrs. Snyder. "He had a knack for seeing the potential you had."

In addition to being an associate professor of piano at St. Vincent College, Father Bronder also taught piano at Seton Hill College, Carnegie Mellon University and Duquesne University.

Even with his busy music schedule, the monk never shirked his pastoral duties, serving on weekends in parishes in Irwin, Ligonier and Wilpen in Ligonier Township.

"Even in recent years when the illness became more debilitating, he continued to go out and say Mass," said Archabbot Nowicki. "The courage he exhibited was inspirational to the parishioners."

Father Bronder is survived by a sister, Ruth Bronder of Brentwood; and a brother, Edmund Bronder of Washington, D.C.

A Mass will be celebrated at 2:30 p.m. today in the St. Vincent Archabbey Basilica.