The Sarasota Orchestra has offered the community a glimpse into its future, sharing refined schematic design renderings of its much-anticipated Music Center planned for the 32-acre campus at 5701 Fruitville Road.
The new designs provide a detailed look inside the state-of-the-art concert hall and the dedicated Education Center, illustrating a vision set to revolutionize Sarasota’s performance capabilities, musical learning, and overall community life.
“These schematic designs bring our Music Center vision into sharper focus,” said Sarasota Orchestra President & CEO Joseph McKenna. “They’re the product of careful work by our expert architects, acousticians, and project team to create a welcoming place for the community to experience the joy of live music.”
A Landmark Concert Hall for Acoustic Excellence
At the core of the Music Center is a landmark initiative to bring the Gulf Coast its first concert hall purpose-built for acoustic music. This elite venue will join only three other similar concert halls in Florida, promising unparalleled sonic quality. Developed with Stages Consultants, the hall’s shoebox shape and curved balcony are designed to ensure every seat offers clear, balanced sound and an unobstructed view of the musicians.
The design, led by William Rawn Associates in collaboration with HKS, is transforming bold conceptual drawings into construction-ready visual plans.
“This is a special moment when Sarasota can imagine the next 75 years of Sarasota Orchestra and how this iconic musical destination will serve a growing community,” said Cliff Gayley, William Rawn Associates principal.
Fellow principal, Doug Johnston, highlighted the holistic guest experience: “From arrival to exit, the Music Center will create a welcoming, comfortable and uniquely memorable experience, whether you’re taking a stroll through the parks, dropping your child off at a youth orchestra or sitting in the new hall.”
Investing in the Next Generation with the Education Center
The interior view of the Education Center showcases a dynamic design that will significantly enhance spaces for teaching, rehearsal, and student performance. This facility will be the welcoming gateway on the east side of the campus for students and families, supporting the Sarasota Music Festival and the Orchestra’s youth ensembles.
It will feature more than a dozen teaching studios for lessons and music libraries to archive the collections of the Sarasota Youth Orchestra, the Sarasota Orchestra, and the Sarasota Music Festival.
Sarasota Orchestra Board Member Michael Esposito, who serves on the Building Committee, expressed the profound impact of the new facility: “The Music Center is a quantum leap forward for Sarasota Orchestra. It’s a modern home that honors Sarasota’s architectural tradition and builds on our rich arts culture with a much-needed concert hall. What’s really terrific is the opportunity it creates to welcome more students into Sarasota Orchestra’s education programs, with a better experience made possible by new facilities and a concert hall with excellent acoustics.”
A Public Campus Rooted in Sarasota’s Ecology
The new exterior renderings, developed in collaboration with OJB Landscape Architecture, highlight a deliberate indoor-outdoor connection. The campus design incorporates natural light, open courtyards, and sets aside approximately 12 acres for wetlands, water features, and natural elements. These features will orient visitors, soften exterior sound, and integrate native plantings, ensuring a visit feels connected to Sarasota’s ecology.
Completion of the schematic design is a major milestone, fueled by significant philanthropy, including a $60 million anonymous gift and a $10 million investment from Jack and Priscilla Schlegel. Now halfway through the design phase, the project moves into design development, with a goal of breaking ground in 2027.
