PITTSBURGH -- As the only student majoring in bagpipes at any American university or college, Nick Hudson walks a loud, lonely road.

A recent day found him practicing by himself in a basement room at Carnegie Mellon University's student union. Pulling back his shoulder-length red hair, the 18-year-old freshman jammed rubber plugs into his ears before he adjusted the reeds and tuned the drones of his instrument. Then, tucking the bag under his arm, he began to step methodically around the room in time as he played Scottish jigs,...