March Mandolin Festival returns: The ninth annual March Mandolin Festival kicks off at The Stone Church in Newmarket on Friday, March 4, and continues in Concord on Saturday and Sunday, March 5 and 6. The weekend event will feature several of the region’s top pickers.

The festival was created by local musician and songwriter David Surette, a maven of both mandolin and guitar. This year, Surette is focusing on regional acts, with all featured players coming from Maine or Vermont.

The Friday night concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and includes Surette, Vermont-based mandolinists Will Patton and Keith Murphy, and Maine’s Steve Roy. A separately ticketed show with bluegrass act The Infamous Stringdusters follows at 10 p.m. Tickets to each show are $15; discounts will be offered to those who attend both. The Stone Church is at 5 Granite St., Newmarket, 603-292-3546, www.thestonechurch.com.

The separately ticketed festival on March 5 and 6 takes place at the Concord Community Music School and will feature the same four mandolin players, along with Surette’s wife and musical partner Susie Burke. Workshops and jam sessions will take place throughout the day on Saturday, concluding with a concert at 7:30 p.m. A mandolin roundtable and group tunes will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. 

Tickets for the whole weekend in Concord are $110, available through the school at www.ccmusicschool.org. For more information, contact 603-228-1196 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

house party at the Rochester Opera House: Three prominent local acts will join forces to rock a house party at the Rochester Opera House on Saturday, March 5. The bill includes full sets from Seacoast bands The Molenes, Wooden Eye and Jon Nolan & The Working Girls.

The Molenes, a country-rock quartet led by front man Dave Hunter, released their impressive latest album “Good Times Comin’” in September 2010. Wooden Eye is an Americana band of veteran local players, including co-leaders Bob Halperin and Mike “Bullfrog” Rogers. Jon Nolan has been a staple of the scene since his days with roots-pop band Say ZuZu and now has a new group known as The Working Girls.

Together, the three headliners will beckon spring with an evening of fiery guitars and warm, rootsy songs. The all-ages show begins at 7 p.m. on March 5 at the Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St., Rochester, 603-335-1992, www.rochesteroperahouse.com. Tickets are $10. 

a musical journey with Amare Cantare: Feeling trapped? Local chamber chorus Amare Cantare will offer a spring concert filled with music about travel, pilgrimage, escape, relocation and transportation. The group will present “Journeys” in Durham, Stratham and Portsmouth on April 2, 3 and 6.

The program begins with “Due West” by Stephen Chatman, along with works by Palestrina, Wilbye, and local composer Kevin Siegfried. The second half turns to music about water, including sea shanties and stories of sailors, boats, and lost love. There will be work by Vaughan Williams, Hatfield, Barber, and Chilcott.  

The first show takes place at Saint George’s Episcopal Church, 1 Park Court, Durham, on Saturday, April 2 at 8 p.m. The second is at Stratham Community Church, 6 Emery Lane, Stratham, on Sunday, April 3 at 3 p.m. The final concert is at Middle Street Baptist Church, 18 Court St., Portsmouth, on Wednesday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for the general public are $12 in advance or $15 at the door. Students and seniors get in for $10 in advance or $12 at the door. For more information, visit www.amarecantare.com.