Henry E. Moran had a great deal of reserve ammunition available if he needed it in competition for the post of president and administrator of the Berkshire Medical Center. He didn't need it, however. A member of the BMC search committee said Moran had the most impressive "track record" as a professional hospital administrator, which was the criteria BMC was using.

But had it been necessary, Moran could have requested an audition.

He's a talented musician and can handle everything from the classics to a bit of Scott Joplin on the piano and has his wife, the former Janet Weiss, for backup support. She was a music major in college in Iowa, a music teacher, an accomplished pianist and organist, and now is studying guitar. Their only daughter, 13-year-old Catherine, is enrolled in the Pittsfield Community Music School pursuing the flute.

"I come from a musical family," Moran confessed. "My father was an opera singer and my brother, Marvin, appears frequently on television as an Irish tenor."

Moran had little to say about his own vocal efforts, but that seemed to be in keeping with his quiet, modest temperament.

Music is just one of the many ways Moran has of fighting the pressures of hospital administration. He is a sports enthusiast, plays golf, skis, and is a backpack hiker.

He will take over as head of the sprawling BMC campus next month, succeeding Alexander Babillis.

A native of St. Paul, Minn., he received a bachelor of science degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin in 1952 and a master's degree in hospital administration from the University of Minnesota in 1954.

He comes to Pittsfield from Lynn where be has been administrator of Union Hospital, a 205-bed community hospital, for the past 14 years.

The Morans have purchased a home in Dalton. Their oldest son, Michael, 20, is a junior at Colgate. Mark, 18, is at the University of Massachusetts, and Catherine and six-year-old Matthew, are attending Dalton Schools.