Ann MacMillan: Providing health care for musical instruments

In her classroom, Ann MacMillan surrounds herself with thousands of tiny musical instrument parts and tools. As music instrument technician and teacher, she keeps instruments sounding their best and teaches students to do the same.

MacMillan, a trumpet player, began working in instrument repair after high school when she apprenticed at an instrument shop while earning a bachelor's degree in music education in Kansas. But, it wasn't until she moved to the Metroplex that she seriously took interest in instrument repair.

"My interest really peaked when I began working for Brook Mays Music in Dallas while earning my master's degree (from UNT)," MacMillan says. "The man who trained me really knew what he was doing, and I wanted to learn as much as I could from him."

Her experience at Brook Mays Music led her to the job she has now.

MacMillan repairs student- and university-owned instruments, and she presents clinics for the College of Music for the caring and cleaning of instruments.

MacMillan also teaches a basic instrument repair class and works with students on individual studies of specific instruments.

"Since I wanted to work in repair and teach college, my job is a great combination for me," MacMillan says. "I love working with students, especially since they are so serious about music."

Although students are serious about music, they are still students. In her four years at her job, MacMillan has made some unexpected finds.

"A couple of years ago, I was cleaning the marching band's sousaphones and I found an entire tortilla inside," MacMillan said. "Evidently, students were throwing tortillas at a football game and one ended up inside the sousaphone. Eventually, the tortilla took on the sousaphone's shape, so it didn't affect the sound of the music."

MacMillan said she has also removed a plastic army man from a trumpet.

Through her classes, MacMillan and her students repair instruments donated to Start Up the Band - a College of Music program in Denton's Owsley addition that helps underprivileged fifth-graders learn the basics of music, without the expense of renting an instrument.

"Working on instruments for the Owsley project has been really neat for the students," MacMillan says. "They don't see it just as something they're doing for a class, but they see it as doing something for someone else."

BY JENNY McCORMACK paiswri2@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue:

• UNT scientists, students join other Texas universities in display showcasing scientific research
• UNT seeking $28.9 million in funding from 77th Texas Legislature
• Regents, THECB discuss closing the gaps
• Top questions regarding the UNT publications policy
• Vice Provost Schafer to step down
• UNT students receive $25,000 Rotary Scholarships
• Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism to host African journalist as visiting lecturer
• Take precautions when using space heaters
• UNT professor says Super Bowl is going to be dot-com thin this year
• Two groups help keep former UNT staff, faculty involved in university life

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