CARBONDALE, Ill. (KFVS) – The Southern Illinois Music Festival will return in July for its 17th year of concerts.

“We’ve done it every year since 2005, so we haven’t missed a year,” said Edward Benyas.

Benyas is the director of the Southern Illinois Music Festival.

“There is no substitute for live music, you can hear fantastic things, watch and hear on your computer screen, but you do not have a sense of emotion, a sense of camaraderie and being with the artists, ”said Benyas.

Cellist and SIU student Emily Gallagher is one of dozens of musicians who take the stage in the performance series

“I’m very excited to have a full orchestra again because I know it’s been a while since I’ve been able to play with a full instrumental group,” said Gallagher.

The classical music festival will feature professional musicians from across the county.

“We have lyric opera folks from the Chicago orchestra, our singers are from California and New York so from both coasts and everywhere in between,” Benyas said.

Benyas says they are determined to keep the festival going.

“We have a strong sponsorship base that supports us financially and comes to our performance and so it’s a very important part of the quality of life in southern Illinois and I’ve been quite proud of it for 17 years,” said said Benyas.

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