Introducing New Concert Series, The Civic Sessions, Prior to Carbondale City Council Meetings
Date/Time
Date(s) - 12/09/2025
5:30 pm
Location
Carbondale Civic Center
Categories
The City of Carbondale is introducing a new addition to its already vibrant live-music scene, the Civic Sessions.
The Civic Sessions will be a brief, “unplugged”, or acoustic performance by Carbondale musicians in the lobby
of City Hall, starting at 5:30 prior to each City Council Meeting. The inaugural launch of this series will be at
the upcoming City Council meeting on Tuesday, December 9.
Inspired by similar offerings in other cities with a very present music scene, council member Dawn Roberts
says, “I introduced Civic Sessions as a way to open City Council meetings with the sound of Carbondale, SIUC,
and our region’s renowned and deeply rooted music culture. The series is a way to bring residents, students, and
neighbors together with their City government to celebrate our talented musicians and foster a shared sense of
connection and pride in our community—one song at a time.”
The inaugural performance of Civic Sessions will be performed by SIU School of Music Faculty, William
Cernota (cello) and SIU sophomore, Vincent Jones (contrabass).
William (cello) is currently a member of the music faculties at Loyola University Chicago and Southern Illinois
University Carbondale School of Music and also joined the faculty of OPUS Chamber Music, a youth
community outreach program. He has been a member of the Lyric Opera Orchestra since 1982, a Chair and
member of the Lyric Opera Orchestra Members Committee since 1994, and from 1982 to 1996, was a substitute
cellist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He is traveling to and from Chicago, where he will be playing in
the Lyric Opera’s production of “The Nutcracker”, taking time in between rehearsals and performances to play
the inaugural “Civic Sessions”.
Vincent Jones (contrabass) is a sophomore at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, on a University
Excellence scholarship, studying both Music and Zoology. He currently works as a Resident Assistant with
SIU’s university housing. He has been playing the contrabass for around 9 years. Vincent owes a lot of his
experience and growth to his high school at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, Illinois, as he was able
to experience playing in a symphonic orchestra and even play at Disney Land as part of an orchestra group. He
is now part of the SIU Symphony Orchestra where he has been in the position of Principal Contrabass for 2
years.
William and Vincent are both members of the Versa’tile Faculty Student Chamber Music Ensemble, a new
ensemble offering a diverse range of free performances for the community at large.
We look forward to having these talented musicians launch this new series for our community.
For further information or media requests contact Public Relations Officer, Eva Fisher, at 618-713-0711.
“Carbondale prides itself on providing its visitors, students, businesses and residents with a unique mix of edge and ease.
It’s a cultural town, yet free of pretense, embracing the great outdoors as readily as urban sophistication. Here, we are
open to new ideas, experiences and cultures, so you are encouraged to both express yourself and be yourself, in all ways.
That’s Carbondale…All Ways Open… for family, fun, business, new ideas and a bright tomorrow.”