Bruce McMillan was first and foremost a teacher, but he also made a significant contribution to the musical life of Dunedin.
A much-respected University of Otago academic by day, by night Dr McMillan sang in nearly 50 different concerts, operas, musicals and plays over a five-decade-long career as a performer.
Through his many professional and personal pursuits, his busy and well-lived life touched many.
Bruce William McMillan was born in Ashburton on July 17, 1942, one of three sons of Duncan and Alice (nee Page) McMillan.
Both his parents were musical, singing and playing piano, and he grew up watching his father playing hymns for the local church; church music was an important part of family life and remained a lifelong profession of Dr McMillan. He showed his precocity by winning his first award at the Southland competitions as a child, singing Scotland the Brave.
The family moved to Invercargill in 1950 after Duncan McMillan’s appointment as superintendent of the Southland Presbyterian Social Services Association.
The role involved management of childcare homes and rest-homes, which placed Mr McMillan at the centre of his community: his son later said that seeing such service helped shape his life and values.
While being educated at Southland Boys’ High School, Dr McMillan met Nanette Ferris, a budding artist, whom he married in 1962. They had four children, Elisabeth, Fi, John and Gareth.
Although a newly married man, Dr McMillan decided he could balance family responsibilities and study and commenced theological studies at Knox College in 1962. He greatly appreciated the help and support from Dr James Salmond as he juggled life as a student, work, and eventually family life.
To help make ends meet, Dr McMillan started work at 7am as a postman, finishing mid-afternoon, and then hit the books if time allowed.
The theology students were assigned to a parish and he requested, and was assigned, to Stewart Island, where he became the student minister at the Presbyterian church. The family moved to Oban, living in the newly built manse, and the year the family spent on the island meant it became a special place for them all.
His BA completed, Dr McMillan spent two further years studying for an MA, which was completed in 1967. By this time the focus of his study was on education, and his thesis was on intermediate school children’s understanding of the ideas about religion taught to them in school, mainly by lay people.
Again, Dr McMillan combined work and study, being employed by the education studies department at the University of Otago to teach human development and learning strategies.
In 1970, Dr McMillan joined the education studies department fulltime, eventually rising to head of the department in the 1990s.
Among the courses Dr McMillan taught was human development, and he was an early adopter of both basic technology (overhead projectors) and what amounted to sophisticated high-tech — video recorders.
He was also an enthusiastic proponent of using real people and lived experience: various babies and children, including the McMillan offspring, were guest stars in his lectures.
"They all made various appearances as perfect examples of particular aspects of human development and we thank you for it," 1970s student and later a departmental colleague Jude McArthur said.
"What was particularly wonderful about that, though, is that Bruce also demonstrated to us the extraordinary value of parents, and their deep love for their children."
Dr McMillan strongly believed that every child held a central place in society and communities, and that they should be included and valued for who they were and for the contribution they made — themes which permeated his teaching and published research.
He advocated that adults needed to be interested in children and their development, to listen to them and appreciate their unique experiences and understandings of the world.
He was remembered as a warm, caring and supportive teacher by his relationships with his students. His door was always open; there were no notices stating office hours, he welcomed others in with enthusiasm and a smile, and he took great pride in his students’ achievements.
Dr McMillan was no ivory tower academic. He believed that knowledge should improve the lives of children, parents, teachers and he took the university to the people to make sure this happened. He worked with Playcentre and various parent organisations, valuable field experience which he both enjoyed, and which he could use in his day job.
Dr McMillan was also a keen and generous supporter of the Children’s Issues Centre, and he was on the editorial board of the centre’s journal for a decade.
He also had a particular interest in technology in education and worked closely with Prof Wing Lai to get the topic of computing into New Zealand schools. Together they started and edited the journal Computing in New Zealand Schools, and co-edited an early textbook on the topic.
He was also an enthusiastic backer of the university’s Summer School, teaching a paper for many years.
Somehow among all that professional and personal activity, Dr McMillan found the time to play a very important part of Dunedin’s musical life, especially as a performer.
As an Otago student, Dr McMillan discovered the Dunedin Opera Company, and the company discovered him. In 1964, encouraged by Nanette, he auditioned for a role in Verdi’s opera La Traviata and was given the role of the marquis.
After a 10-year break while the McMillans established their family and their careers, Dr McMillan returned to the stage in 1976, beginning of a long and fruitful relationship with the opera company.
He sang well-reviewed principal roles in many productions in the ’70s and ’80s, combining skilled acting, skilled singing, and having fun.
He also performed with the smaller company, the Southern Opera Ensemble, which focused on touring opera to schools — something right in Dr McMillan’s wheelhouse. Over six years the ensemble performed to over 21,000 school children in 76 schools, an endeavour which he loved.
He was also involved in the annual operas staged by the university’s music department, as well as musical theatre shows and one-off concerts.
"If he was paid for any role it would have been pocket-money," friend and former Otago music professor John Drummond said.
"He did it for love — he was a true amateur. But that doesn’t mean he was casual about it: his attitude was thoroughly professional. He was always prepared, he listened to advice, he was a wonderful colleague in ensembles.
"His broad grin, his chuckle, his warm personality, the twinkle in his eye, all made it easy and rewarding to work with him."
Although his professional and artistic life was a delight, Dr McMillan’s family life was struck by tragedy in 1990 when Nanette died of cancer. In 1998 he remarried, sharing his life with Playcentre leader and nurse Elizabeth Culbert, a widow and long-standing family friend.
Bruce and Elizabeth designed and built a house, a home which would always have room for family and friends. They also created a beautiful garden, in which Dr McMillan spent many a happy hour in his retirement tending his vegetables.
Dr McMillan remained active in the community. He was very involved in the establishment of the University of the Third Age in Mosgiel, and also an enthusiastic contributer to local genealogy groups. He continued teaching, served as a member of Playcentre’s national committee, and was a regular public speaker in Otago and Canterbury.
Remembered as a quiet and gentle man with a friendly smile, kind eyes and a welcoming energy, Dr McMillan was kind and warm-hearted with a delightful sense of fun and positivity.
He died on January 30 aged 81. He is survived by his wife and four children.
— Mike Houlahan with assistance from Jude McArthur, John Drummond and Fi McMillan
