Aaron McMillan

Aaron McMillan (11 February 1977 - 14 May 2007) was an Australian classical pianist.

At school he was a basketballer. At age 15 he captained his local team to a state championship, was named most valuable player, and was hoping to gain selection in the national basketball team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. After an injury during training forced his departure from the sport, he then moved to his next passion, music. He commenced piano studies with Neta Maughan, the teacher of Michael Kieran Harvey, Simon Tedeschi, and her own daughter Tamara Anna Cislowska. At age 16 he was the youngest Australian pianist to gain a Licentiate Diploma of Music with distinction. He took part in the 1996 Sydney International Piano Competition.

In addition to performing, he became an entrepreneur. He organised and financed many of his own concerts and recordings, but also set up a company called "Wayfarer" to promote other musicians. He organised a concert at the Sydney Town Hall where 20 Australian composers performed their own works - these included Dulcie Holland, Miriam Hyde and Elena Kats-Chernin.

In 2001, McMillan was diagnosed with cancer, it having been discovered while he was being photographed for the cover of an album. A small pimple on his eyelid prompted him to see a doctor, who diagnosed a large brain tumor. The first of two Australian Story programs on ABC television, entitled Playing for Time, followed his surgery at Sydney's Prince of Wales Hospital where the tumor was successfully removed.

The tumour returned in 2003. It did not respond to treatment, and by 2005 he could no longer play the piano.

McMillan performed solo at the Sydney Opera House on two occasions. Because of his illness, he could not perform at a planned third concert but instead made it an opportunity for him to present other pianists. He released a 9-CD box set of his recordings, which he produced from his bed in the palliative care unit of St Vincent's Hospital in Darlinghurst. The Governor of New South Wales, Marie Bashir, officiated at the release.

He died on May 14, 2007 at St Vincent's Hospital. Just three days prior to his death, at his hospital bedside, he was awarded a Mo Award for services to the entertainment industry.