Sarasota Orchestra Releases Music Center Survey

Sarasota Orchestra released a public survey Wednesday afternoon to collect feedback about the organization, its planned music center and how the Orchestra might use this new project to better serve the community.

In March, Sarasota Orchestra announced plans to build a music center on 32 acres at 5701 Fruitville Road between Honore Avenue and Cattlemen Road. The Orchestra will use survey results to inform a masterplan that reflects the community's input.

Aspirations for the music center currently include the region's first acoustic concert hall, a recital hall, rehearsal spaces, practice rooms and administrative offices. The site will also include about 12 acres of publicly accessible green spaces, such as parks, walking trails and water features.

Sarasota Orchestra is facing an urgent need for increased performance, education, rehearsal, storage, and administrative space to accommodate more concert dates and greater participation in Sarasota Orchestra's youth programs.

"In telling the story of every world-class orchestra, there was a turning point when they set their future in stone by building a best-in-class concert hall," said Tom Koski, chair of Sarasota Orchestra's board of directors. "After 74 years, our Sarasota Orchestra has reached that time. We either remain a transitory orchestra, struggling to find venue days to perform or rehearse, or we build a home where our education programs, professional orchestra and international teaching festival can flourish."

How: Find the survey at: www.SarasotaOrchestra.org/MusicCenterSurvey

When: Sarasota Orchestra's online survey is open now until Friday, Nov. 18