Catalyze 2025: Ignacio Barrón Viela (The Florida Orchestra)

We’re asking thought leaders, business people and creatives to talk about the upcoming year and give us catalyzing ideas for making St. Pete a better place to live. What should our city look like? What are their hopes, their plans, their problem-solving ideas? This is Catalyze 2025.

The Florida Orchestra must be doing something right – Season 57 began in October, with subscriptions and ticket sales at near-record levels.

Still, for President and CEO Ignacio Barrón Viela, there’s always room to grow. In fact, he said, it’s essential for the area’s premier classical music organization.

“One thing we started this year,” Barrón Viela explained, “is to look out in the community more: ‘Who are we not partnering with today, that we should be partnering with?’ As St. Petersburg grows, we’ve been asking ourselves, what does our community need? And how can this orchestra be there to be serve our residents?

“For example, we know that there’s a lot of new population – new neighbors – coming to St. Petersburg. And how can we welcome them with their first concert experience, in one of the halls here?

“In 2025, I see The Florida Orchestra leading the way to connect with the momentum and growth that St. Petersburg is experiencing. Not only making music, but listening and being part of the conversation.”

Music director Michael Francis, resident conductor Chelsea Gallo and others in the organization often host free concerts in the community, the cherry on top of the regularly-scheduled performances at the Mahaffey Theater, Ruth Eckerd Hall and the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.

“One area that I am very passionate about, that we are going to continue to focus on in 2025, is strengthening our music education program,” the CEO explained. “Our Strings For Kids program provides free instruments and repairs for kids, along with instruction from professional musicians. And mentorship and support for students and families who are in a difficult financial situation.

“And partnering with the schools. Because I do believe that if we do not focus on the new generations, the future musicians, the future patrons and the future donors, we’re not going to thrive. So we’re investing in that future.”

Although many of the professional musicians that make up The Florida Orchestra are nationally or internationally-hired, according to Barrón Viela there’s something gratifying about the notion of homegrown players – from Pinellas County – eventually coming to play.

This is one of the reasons he is pushing so strongly for the Center for Music Education and Innovation, a 24,000-32,000 square foot building, proposed for an adjacency to the Mahaffey Theater. The $30 million project would house classrooms, offices and fixed rehearsal space for the 70-plus member orchestra.

“In order to move forward, stronger, it is clear we need that center so we can better serve our community,” he said. “We’re still in the planning phases for it. We’ve having a lot of conversations with key partners to make this happen. And we hope we can have further updates during 2025.”