Sarasota Orchestra is celebrating a $60 million investment to advance the planning and construction of a new Music Center that will bring Florida’s West Coast its first concert hall purpose-built for acoustic music. This extraordinary contribution is one of the largest gifts to any orchestra nationwide and a record-setting philanthropic investment for performing arts organizations in Florida.
Moved by Sarasota Orchestra’s dedication to build a future home for the Music Center, the donor, who at this time wishes to remain anonymous, made an initial $10 million commitment to help secure the land at 5701 Fruitville Road debt-free. They later committed an inspiring investment of $50 million to advance the planning of a Music Center so residents and visitors may experience the power of live musical performances, expanded music education programs and a top-tier orchestra for generations to come.
“These gifts are not only a humbling display of the donor’s generosity, but also underscore their belief in Sarasota Orchestra’s artistic and educational excellence,” said Joseph McKenna, Sarasota Orchestra president and CEO.
The longtime benefactor, who has witnessed firsthand the Orchestra’s impact on the lives of musicians, students and audiences, sees this as a legacy project and hopes their transformational investment will inspire others to boldly join in shaping the future of Sarasota’s cultural landscape.
“The new Music Center will elevate our already wonderful Orchestra to new artistic heights, inspiring future world-class performers and musicians to visit and establish roots in Sarasota,” said the donor. “I am thrilled to envision the incredible talent that will grace our community, both as members of the Orchestra and as guest artists on that stage. When Giancarlo Guerrero [Music Director Designate] receives calls from his acclaimed colleagues from around the world about where to perform top musical pieces, I want the answer to be Sarasota. I want artists to discover an iconic performance space and a home here.”
Expected to open in the 2029-2030 season, the Music Center will elevate the region’s reputation among world-class arts destinations. In addition to an acoustically pristine concert hall, plans for the project include a flexible-use performance space, native landscaping to ensure a resilient and park-like community destination and multiple rehearsal and practice rooms. These facilities will add much needed capacity for Sarasota Orchestra and other regional performing arts organizations that are challenged to secure performance and rehearsal dates. The Music Center will also scale Sarasota Orchestra’s impact on education, providing expanded space and opportunities for the growth of youth orchestra programs that are operating at capacity with eight student ensembles engaging students from 100 schools in the Sarasota area.
“This generous investment is a continuation of our donor’s unwavering support through the years, which has been instrumental in sustaining and growing our mission,” said McKenna. “This is more than a gift to the Orchestra, it is a call to the broader community to create a place where performers and patrons alike can connect over uplifting musical and educational experiences together.”
Sarasota Orchestra has brought together a renowned team of architects and engineers led by acoustician and theater planner Stages Consultants, architects, William Rawn Associates and HKS, and landscape architect, OJB Landscape Architecture. Together, they are launching the schematic design phase to transform the 32-acre site into a visually iconic Music Center for Sarasota. The Orchestra’s earlier feasibility study estimated project costs between $375 million and $425 million, with a final project goal to be determined and approved by its Board of Directors in early 2026.
“I often imagine the day we first walk into the Music Center, reflecting on all the pivotal moments and people who have made it possible,” said Sarasota Orchestra Board Chair Tom Koski. “It truly takes a village, and we look forward to continuing to move the project forward in the months ahead, knowing this is another step toward realizing our vision for a Music Center that will invite our entire community to share in the love and power of live music.”
