We’re excited to share that after a decade of planning and preparation, the expansion of our beautiful “Home for Music” is underway! This expansion, encompassing both a new performance hall and additions to our teaching space, will allow us to enhance our offerings and create a more inclusive, vibrant environment for music lovers of all ages for generations to come. This is even more exciting because the expansion aligns so closely with our mission to provide outstanding, accessible music education and programming to all.
Latest Update: October 22, 2025
Life at WCMS goes on—with plenty of excitement!
Even with major construction underway, the energy at WCMS hasn’t slowed down one bit! Our halls are still full of music every day — lessons, rehearsals, concerts, recitals, master classes, workshops, and special events are all going strong.
Several of you have asked how things are going during this big transition, and I’m delighted to say that enrollment this fall is strong and our community is as vibrant as ever. Just this week, two young students stopped by my office to peek out the window and watch the construction in action. Their excitement was contagious! They know that before long, they’ll be performing on the stage of our brand-new concert hall or exploring sound design in the new technology lab.
So what’s happening with the expansion right now?
Our builders are finishing up the stormwater management system (a surprisingly fascinating project if you love big excavators and our youngest students certainly do!). Work continues on the installation of the new fire suppression system inside the existing building, and soon we’ll reach a major milestone: the arrival of the steel!That will be an exciting moment, and I can’t wait to share photos and updates in my next NOTEbook. Thank you for cheering us on and believing in the music and community we’re building together at WCMS!
It takes a village!
You will likely hear more from us soon (if you haven’t already) as we work together to raise the necessary funds to bring this project to fruition. It is a big lift and as you know well, we are a small local organization. Together we will build a lasting legacy of music! If you’d like to discuss making a gift to our SoundBreaking Capital Campaign, please reach out to Laurie Russell.
“Coffee and Conversations with Laurie”
Monthly “Coffee and Conversations with Laurie” continue on Wednesday, November 19 at 10:00 AM. These are informal sessions where you can hear firsthand about all the fabulous things happening at WCMS, view the progress of the construction, and view the floor plans that show the locations of the new concert hall and teaching spaces. Send Laurie an email to let her know you plan to stop over.
FAQs for Students
Will there be any impact to my lesson or class schedule?
All construction activity is being scheduled to minimize its impact on teaching schedules and events in the building. During the school year, construction hours will generally wrap up around 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
What about parking?
To ensure smooth traffic flow, the parking lot has been divided into designated parking areas for faculty/staff and student families. Signage has been added to the parking lot to make it clear where to park.
Although there should be ample parking most of the time, it is possible that the parking lot may fill up during peak teaching times. Families may park along the WCMS side of Highland Avenue and/or adjacent side streets if necessary.
Finally, to prioritize parking for families with very young children or adult learners, we ask that families consider dropping off and picking up older children at the designated pick-up/drop-off zone directly in front of the WCMS entrance.
What else should we know about safety during construction?
Here are just a few of the ways we are working to maximize safety during this project:
We need your help to keep everyone safe!
While at WCMS, please be sure to:
Through working together as a community, we’ll be able to keep things running smoothly while we expand our beautiful Home for Music!
Past Updates
If you’ve been to WCMS recently, you might be wondering what’s going on behind the construction fence and how things are going with our expansion project. We’re thrilled to share some exciting updates!
📸 Check out this photo of the progress so far!
A quick heads-up: The building will be closed to the public during August, but don’t worry—our admin team will be on-site and fully available. If you need anything, the best way to reach us is by email or phone (781-721-2950). We’ll continue to respond promptly! Our office hours are M-F, 9 AM-5:30 PM.
We can’t wait to welcome everyone back in September! In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.
We’re excited to share that after a decade of planning and preparation, the expansion of our beautiful “Home for Music” is about to begin! This expansion, encompassing both a new performance hall and additions to our teaching space, will allow us to enhance our offerings and create a more inclusive, vibrant environment for music lovers of all ages for generations to come. This is even more exciting because the expansion aligns so closely with our mission to provide outstanding, accessible music education and programming to all.
What comes next?
Over the next few weeks, you may begin to see more activity at WCMS related to this project. Construction is anticipated to begin in late February and to take around a year and a half. Next week, you will receive a follow-up communication with more details about what to expect in the coming weeks. Throughout this project, we have two top priorities: 1) Minimizing impact to school operations as much as possible, and 2) Maximizing safety at all times. Next week’s communication will also contain some important details and updates about how WCMS will be prioritizing safety every step of the way.
Where can I find out more?
WCMS is committed to keeping the WCMS community and our neighbors updated about what to expect throughout the project. Starting next week, members of our community will receive regular email communications with updates about what’s coming up and what to expect. And of course, we hope you will feel free to reach out at any time if you have questions or concerns.
If you are not on our regular mailing list and would like to receive updates on construction schedules and site work, please sign up below.
Sign up to receive updates on construction activities and scheduling. (Student families will automatically receive these updates.)
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Winchester Community Music School407 Highland AvenueWinchester, MA 01890
781.721.2950
wcms@winchestermusic.org
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