A live midday concert can change the pace of an otherwise routine day in the life of a college student.

The Noontime Concert Series will kick off at noon today in the HUB-Robeson Center with The Scott Mangene Trio. The concert series, sponsored by the University Park Allocations Committee, the Center for Arts and Crafts, and Student Activities, is free to the public.

A different concert will be held from noon to 1 p.m. every Friday this semester.

"A goal of the HUB Noontime Concert Series is to offer students the opportunity to be able to hear a wide variety of musical styles. We bring in local musicians and student organizations," Stephanie Gush, program coordinator for the Center for Arts and Crafts, said.

The series, which includes 10 concerts throughout the semester, has existed for about 15 years, she said.

It showcases both student musical organizations and local acts.

Scott Mangene returns to the event for the third time. Half of his set will be songs from his own original CD, and the other half will be covers of classic rock songs.

Playing a daytime concert like this is extremely unlike his usual gigs, Mangene said.

"It is absolutely a totally different environment than what I normally play," Mangene said. "When you make a living as a musician you become a night person, so the day gig requires special planning. I make sure that I warm up more extensively so that my vocals are in order. I only have an hour so I give [the audience] exactly what I have. I don't have to pace myself."

Other acts scheduled to play in the series include the Crabapple String Band, the Jazz Showcase and Eric Himan.

Since the afternoon concerts are only an hour long, they are an uncommon experience for both musicians and audiences. "I've learned enough styles so that I can go into any kind of room and succeed," Himan said. "I consider myself a very versatile musician."

Jazz Showcase, an ensemble created by Andrew Jackson, will perform on Feb. 24. Andrew Jackson is the drummer for the group, which consists primarily of graduate and undergraduate students.

He has been involved with the series since it began.

"[The concert series] is something to do at lunchtime. It's a popular series because I don't think there's anything else like it," Jackson said. "It's an outlet for smaller concerts, and a lot of the noontime concerts feature student groups that maybe don't have an opportunity to play anywhere else."

The shows are open to the public, but are primarily for students, faculty and staff, he said.