To the Editor:

First of all, may I compliment you on the news story and coverage on the Blairsville Scottish Festival & Highland Games in the Union Sentinel.

I am the Pipe Major of the Atholl Highlanders Pipes and Drums (USA) of Stone Mountain, Georgia, the host band.

All of the attending pipe bands are very touched by the hospitality shown by the people of Blairsville, Union County and the committee of the Blairsville Scottish Festival & Highland Games.

You have a number of musical pipe bands that show their loyalty to your hospitality: Your own Appalachian St. Andrew's Pipes and Drums Corps; Alhambra Highlander Pipes and Drums; Atholl Highlanders Pipes and Drums (USA ) of Stone Mountain; the Chattahoochee Pipes and Drums; and the Heart of Georgia Pipes & Drums, Inc.

I believe I speak for all the Pipe Majors of the respective bands in saying how much we appreciate your attendance and an opportunity to play for you.

A bit about what Pipe Majors and Pipe Bands do: Pipe Majors are the ones that devote a major part of our time to teaching, training, perfecting our playing and tune repertoire to entertain the public. We select tunes that we feel will inspire and entertain. That is our job; that, and the continued teaching of the Highland bagpipe to all levels of pipers.

Each unit also has a drum corps with Drum Sergeant that the Pipe Major works with to insure that the drum scores match and compliment our music. The heart though of every band is the Bass drum that ties it all together and "grounds" us with tempo.

Every member of the band will spend hours each week perfecting and practicing the tunes we play for you. The goal is to always improve and learn new tunes.

When parade time comes, we'll tell our Drum Major what tunes they are to call. That is, if the band has a Drum Major. They are not required and many bands perform without them and the Pipe Major calls the tunes in performances.However, if you have one, you put your 'peacock' out front and they lead us on parade.

The intention of every pipe band is to bring the music of the Highlands and Islands to all. We bring the music of the Celtic Nations of Brittany,Cornwall, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales to our audience. Though we're also quite happy to play "Rocky Top", "God Bless America", "Amazing Grace" and other American tunes at the drop of a hat.

We also escort Game officials and Family chiefs with our pipes and drums as part of our job. A job we do with pleasure.

It is our pleasure to serve and play for you. We look forward to playing for you at future Blairsville Scottish Festival & Highland Games.

Evan Kohler-Camp Pipe Major Atholl Highlanders Pipes & Drums (USA) of

Stone Mountain