March Mandolin Madness

Instrumentalists gather for weekend of workshops, lessons, concerts in Concord
With a full slate of workshops, lessons, jam sessions and concert, The Eighth Annual March Mandolin Festival will take place Friday through Sunday, March 5-7, at the Concord Community Music School.

This year's festival will feature musicians Mike Compton, Will Patton, Glen Loper and David Surette, with special guest Susie Burke. Two concerts are planned in conjunction with the festival. The first is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 5, at The Stone Church on Zion Hill in Newmarket. For details, log onto http://www.thestonechurch.com/ or call 292-3546.

The second show will take place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 6, at the Concord Community Music School. For details, call 228-1196. Compton, a veteran of bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe's style of mandolin playing, was born in 1956 in Meridian Miss., and moved to Nashville in 1977. Since then he has been carving out a niche for himself in the worlds of bluegrass, old-time, country and popular music. He is a long-time member of the Nashville Bluegrass Band, and also performed and recorded as part of John Hartford's band for more than a decade. More...