UNC Asheville's Concerts on the Quad Hosts
the Jazz Composers Forum

Bill Gerhardt of Petri Dish

UNC Asheville’s Concerts on the Quad series will host the monthly Jazz Composers Forum at 7 p.m. Monday, June 28. The free concert will be held on UNC Asheville’s Quad.

Petri Dish, a 10-piece jazz orchestra, will explore the jazz terrain. Petri Dish members are pianist Bill Gerhardt, John Alexander, Stuart Reinhardt and Aimee Sullivan on woodwinds; Ron Brendle, Jane Hart and Mike Holstein on strings; Chris Garges and Byron Hedgepeth on percussion; and special guest guitarist and UNC Asheville alumnus Sam Macy.

Jazz workshops will be held in conjunction with the concert. Jazz pianist and composer Bill Gerhardt will teach a beginner and advanced jazz composition workshop from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, June 26, in UNC Asheville’s Lipinsky Hall. Jazz pianist and composer Frank Kimbrough will teach a master class from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, June 27, in Lipinsky Hall. Following the weekend workshops, students will perform in concert at 6 p.m. Sunday, June 27, in Lipinsky Auditorium. Serious jazz musicians ages 16 and older are welcome to sign up for the weekend residency. Registration is $100. For more information or to pre-register, call Sharon LaMotte at 828/252-2257 or click on the Web site.

The annual outdoor music series sponsors concerts every Monday evening through July 19. The series includes the only Asheville performances of Folkmoot USA on July 17-18. All concerts are free, except for Folkmoot.

Concerts on the Quad is fun for the entire family. The public is invited to bring picnics, blankets and lawn chairs but pets should be left at home. With nearly 3,000 people attending each concert, lawn-chair seating will be separate from blanket seating in order to preserve sight lines; please look for signage when arriving on the Quad. Café a la Quad will sell sandwiches, wraps, fruit, snacks, beverages, desserts and ice cream from 6-8 p.m.

In case of rain, the concerts will be held in Lipinsky Auditorium. No food will be served at the rain location. Location decisions will be made at 5 p.m. the day of the show. Patrons may call 828/232-5000 line 2 after 5:15 p.m. to hear a recorded announcement about the location of that evening’s performance.

For more information, call UNC Asheville’s Student Activities at 828/232-5000 or visit the Concerts on the Quad Web site.

Media Contacts:

• Barbara Halton-Subkis, Student Activities Assistant Director, 828/232-5000
• Jill Yarnall, UNCA Public Information Assistant Director, 828/251-6526