John MacMillen, Bagpiper

When I perform I always appear in highland attire. I have military dress, formal dress, and casual dress with a selection from 4 tartan kilts. I most generally wear my family tartan. I tune my pipes carefully sometimes using a very precise tuner for a great sound from my custom made MacLellan pipes. I have my music memorized and don't need any accommodations for that or any other issues.

I appreciate the importance of presenting as a professional. Preparation takes time because of the attire and tuning. I started to learn the pipes directly after my father's funeral where I was pretty much taken by the instrument. I am Scottish on both sides of my family. I have been playing instruments since I was 12 years-old beginning with the trumpet and later some stringed instruments. In 1994 I retired as a police sgt. and began college at age 50. I completed undergraduate studies in 2 years and graduate school in 3 years. In the past several years I have gone to Pittsburgh for week long learning sessions taught by Scotland's world champion pipers. I still continue to take lessons and perform.

The pipes do not need any sort of amplification. When played they emit about 104 decibels. Keeping the pipes in tune requires stable environments and to that end I have a moisture control system to maintain tuning.