Joe Schelkopf and Linda Garrison sat outside McDonel Hall on Thursday with their banjos in hand. While they played, they took turns providing vocals and discussing technique.

Schelkopf is from Nebraska and Garrison is from Missouri; they never met each other until the three-day Midwest Banjo Camp, here at MSU.

The camp - which was held Friday through Sunday and attracted people of varying ages and skill levels, who play either old-time or bluegrass - provided "48 hours of banjo immersion."

"We got people from all over the country," said Ken Perlman, director and instructor for the banjo camp and professional banjo musician. "One person came all the way from Japan."

Perlman said there were about 15 instructors and 140 banjo students. He said about 75 of the students were from Michigan.

The event was sponsored by Elderly Instruments, 1100 N. Washington Ave. in Lansing. Stan Werbin, owner of Elderly Instruments and organizer, co-director and participant of the band camp, said he and Perlman started planning about a year ago.

Both Perlman and Werbin arranged for big-name banjo musicians to be the instructors, including Alan Mundy, Bill Keith and Mike Seeger, who performed Sunday at the Creole Gallery, 1218 Turner St. in Lansing.

The camp has instructional classes throughout the day and jam sessions in the evening.

"There's so many banjos here," said LeeAnn Winkler, a 25-year-old Ann Arbor resident. "It feels like total immersion."

Perlman said faculty would lead the first jam session, followed by "open jammin'."

"People will have a chance to play with their banjo heroes," Perlman said. "It'll be pretty intense."

Schelkopf, who is 76, said he looked forward to working with the instructors, even though he's played the banjo for 40 years.

"I'm planning to learn some new techniques," he said. "I hope to learn some old-time frailing."

Garrison said the instructors were an incentive to participate, along with the opportunity to practice with other banjo players.

"I'm hoping to get some jammin' in," she said.

Robert Maul, 18, came from Midland to participate. He said he has played the banjo for four years and is currently in a bluegrass band called Heart to Heart.

"I do a lot right now," he said. "When I started, my parents offered to pay me to practice."

McDonel Hall staff worked with Perlman and Werbin to meet all the needs of the participants.

"They had a lot of commuters, so we set up a shuttle van," said Chandos McCoy, manager of McDonel Hall. "Overall, an excellent group of people."

McCoy said the Midwest Band Camp already plans to meet at MSU again next year.