Majoring in Bagpipes

How many students are majoring in bagpipes at any American university or college today, would you say? I'd say none. Go on, ask me. Well, I'd be close because the answer is just one.

At Carnegie Mellin University, freshman Nick Hudson is featured in a WSJ article in which he demonstrates Scottish jigs, classical piping pieces, and of course some AC/DC

They say the 18-year-old has shoulder-length red hair but I imagine that's just a wig that came attached to the pipes.

Some bagpipe facts:

• 9,000 bagpipers registered in North America (up 50% since '99)
• 5,000 estimated annual worldwide sales of great highland bagpipes
• Highland bagpipes typically cost $1,000 to $7,000
• Classmates call Nick "Bagpipe Boy" (kids can be cruel)
• Nick has been banished from practice rooms by violinists, pianists and opera vocalists (gifted kids can be cruel)
• Professors have chased bagpipers away when they're playing outdoors on the college green (grown-ups used to be kids)

Hopefully Hudson can take Michael Collins' advice and not stigmatize himself by the names people are calling him, or they might call him other things later in life - not that there's anything wrong with that.

The only professor is a Scotsman (no way!), considered by many the Michael Flatley Jordan of bagpiping because of his many world-championship medals.

In the program's 16-years, just six students have attempted the major with only two graduating and making a living performing and teaching; the others didn't finish because they found the theory side 'a bit demanding'.

After tuning fellow pipers' instruments on a warm spring evening, Hudson led them in a practice around CMU's campus green. Some students passing by danced a jig. It sounds like a bunch of cats with their tails caught in the door, said Michele Tyler, a Pittsburgher on campus for an art lecture. But I love it

Handy Irish Phrase: Chomh glórach le cearc ghoir   (As noisy as a broody hen)