Nuevo Montuno will perform on September 3

There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but UNC Asheville’s Music Department is offering up three free lunchtime concerts to satisfy your musical appetite. The performances, which are co-sponsored by UNC Asheville's Cultural & Special Events Office, kick off the 2008-09 concert season. The events are free and open to the public. Each will be held at 12:45 p.m. in UNC Asheville’s Lipinsky Auditorium.

Pianist Karen Boyd and soprano Joanna Boyd Best will explore the music of Kurt Weill on August 27. Weill, composer of "Mack the Knife," had a diverse career beginning in Germany. A target of the Nazis, Weill fled to America to become one of the most versatile and influential composers, known for his stylistic multiplicity. Boyd and Best will bring to life Weill's ability to adapt to audience tastes no matter where he found himself.

Local ensemble Nuevo Montuno will take the stage on September 3. This local nine-piece Latin orchestra focuses on trombone-based salsa in the 1970's New York style. The band features Manuel Soler on vocals, Jeff Knorr or piano, Grant Cuthbertson on bass, Ozzie Orengo Sr. on congas, Ozzie "Pito" Orengo Jr. on timbales, Juan Luis Merced on bongos and percussion, Earl Sachais on trombone, Tom Lunberg on trombone and Dave Wilken on trombone.

UNC Asheville Music Department faculty will hold a recital on September 10. The program features eight faculty members performing four pieces. The arrangements include Beethoven's Piano Trio Opus 1 Number 1, Bolling's Veloce from Suite for Flute and Piano, Galliard's Sonata for Trombone and Piano, and Bozza's Frigariana.

The remainder of the season will feature some 22 performances with a general admission price of $5. Season tickets are available for $40 at the door of any concert or by calling UNC Asheville’s Music Department at 828/251-6432.