Mountain Birch Duo to perform locally. (Courtesy photo)

MARQUETTE — The Hiawatha Music Co-op along with the Peter White Public Library is hosting a duo from North Carolina and Southern Virginia at a concert from 7-9 p.m. Friday at the Peter White Public Library.

Entrance is $5 with children under 12 free.

The Mountain Birch Duo features a husband and wife team of Paul Brown and Terri McMurray who bring a fun and engaging show packed with traditional songs, instrumentals and good-humored, mostly true stories, according to a release from Hiawatha.

The release states: “Terri McMurray has great chops on 5-string banjo, banjo uke, and guitar while Paul Brown plays guitar, banjo and fiddle. Both have learned from some the great master traditional musicians from the southern area of Virginia and North Carolina.”

The event is sponsored by the Hiawatha Music Co-op and the Carroll Paul Memorial Trust Fund at PWPL.

From 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, the duo will present a hands-on workshop at the Hiawatha Music Co-op office, known as The Hiawatha Fold, in the Village Shopping Center in Marquette. There is a $10 entrance fee. No pre-registration is necessary.

All are welcome to bring their instrument to participate in learning about the “Round Peak Sound,” a culture of old- time music from the region between Mount Airy, North Carolina, and Galax, Virginia. A light lunch will be included in the entrance fee, compliments of Tadych’s Econo Foods.

On Sunday, the Co-op joins the Marquette Food Co-op in celebrating Food Co-op month by sponsoring the Fiddle Pickers, a local bluegrass band, from noon-2 p.m. at the Food Co-op.

On Monday, Oct. 28, the Hiawatha Music Co-op kicks off its fourth annual Yooper Uke Week, featuring Michigan’s own ukulele ambassador, Ben Hassenger.

The release states: “This week is jam packed with events featuring American’s favorite little instrument, the ukulele. Ben Hassenger will be playing for events for Gwinn Schools, Great Lakes Recovery Center, Eastwood Nursing Home, Marquette Alternative High School, Youth Services at the Peter White Public Library, MARESA students.”

He also will host a workshop open to the public on Friday, Nov. 1 at the Hiawatha Fold from 6-8 p.m. ($15 entrance fee) and a free community strum from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2 at the Hiawatha Fold.

The finale for Yooper Uke Week will be the Hiawatha Music Co-op’s annual Membership Dinner and Dance at the Barrel and Beam Brewery on Nov. 2. The membership dinner and meeting will be from 5:30- 7:30 p.m. with board of director elections included in the meeting. Following the meeting, Ben Hassenger and his band, The Ukulele Kings, will provide music for a dance. The dance is free to co-op members who attend the meeting and $7 for the general public.

For more information on the Hiawatha Music Co-op and upcoming events, go to www.hiawathamusic.org