Biography

The Cartagena Symphony Orchestra is one of the most significant artistic and social initiatives developed by Fundación Salvi, conceived as a platform for musical excellence and social transformation for the young musicians of Cartagena de Indias. Through orchestral performance, artistic training and collective work, the orchestra has helped shape a new generation of performers committed to the cultural development of both their city and Colombia.

Founded in 2016 as a joint initiative of Fundación Salvi, the Cartagena Port Foundation, RCN, and the Mayor’s Office of Cartagena, the orchestra was originally created as an academic ensemble linked to the Cartagena Music Festival, bringing together talented young musicians selected through annual national auditions to participate in intensive artistic residencies alongside internationally renowned conductors, soloists and faculty members.

Since 2020, with the support of Colombia’s Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Knowledge, the Cartagena Symphony Orchestra has become a permanent ensemble under the direction of Paula Ávila, strengthening a long-term training programme that has continuously raised its artistic standards while expanding its educational and social impact throughout the region.

More than an orchestra, it is a community of learning where discipline, artistic excellence and collective commitment become powerful instruments for personal growth, social inclusion and cultural development.

At the XXI Cartagena Music Festival, the Cartagena Symphony Orchestra embodies the Festival’s educational legacy and Fundación Salvi’s enduring commitment to nurturing new generations of Colombian musicians.