He dreamed he played the bagpipes ... and now he does

Sophomore Jacob Lindler, a chemical engineering major from Cornelius, N.C., made a dream a reality – literally.

Many people on campus may be familiar with Lindler, though they do not know who he is. Lindler can often be heard, during the lunch hour or at the end of the afternoon, playing bagpipes outside Fort Hill.

Lindler started playing the bagpipes three years ago.

“I had a dream one night that I was playing the bagpipes. I woke up and thought it was pretty cool so I decided to do it,” he said.

Lindler found a teacher through the Catawba Valley Scottish Society in Mecklenburg County, N.C. He learned to play from teacher Ed Krintz, who has been playing for more than 45 years.

Lindler said playing the pipes takes nimble fingers, steady breathing and lots of coordination.

“If you’re playing in a band, you have to learn how to play while marching and you have to play together with others, so it can get complicated rather quickly,” he said. “But once you have the basics down, it’s not too hard.”

Lindler plays with the Upstate United Pipe Band in Pendleton. The band plays at churches and competes in Scottish games in North and South Carolina. It recently placed first in its division at the Loch Norman Games in Huntersville, N.C.

Lindler started playing near Fort Hill because he needed a place to practice.

“The pipes are definitely an instrument that need to be enjoyed outdoors. I needed a big open area that was not right next to an academic building or residence hall,” he said.

His playing in such a central location on campus has attracted some attention. People often stop to talk to him and he has received some requests to play at events. He played at the Cumulative Gift Society’s gala last fall.

Lindler, a Dixon Fellow and a student in the Calhoun Honors College, is also involved with Reformed University Fellowship.

Published September 2007