April 16, 2025 —Press Release

Winchester Community Music School Breaks Ground on Long-Awaited Building Expansion

Winchester, MA — Winchester Community Music School (WCMS) is proud to announce it held a Groundbreaking Ceremony for its highly anticipated building expansion on April 16, 2025. This joyful event marked the beginning of a transformative new chapter for WCMS, as it expands its historic Home for Music with the addition of a brand new performance hall and expanded programmatic wing.

A decade in the making, this milestone project is a direct investment in the school’s future and its mission: to provide outstanding, accessible music education and programming for all in Winchester and beyond. The expansion will include a state-of-the-art concert hall, new studios for ensembles and group classes, and space dedicated to music technology—improvements that will not only alleviate current overcrowding but also enable WCMS to meet the growing demand for its programs and to keep programmatic pace with the changing musical landscape.

“This is more than a building project,” said Laurie Russell, the school’s Executive Director. “It’s a commitment to our community and to the power of music to bring people together. The expansion reflects our values of excellence, access, and innovation in music education.”

The design thoughtfully integrates the new wing with WCMS’s historic building, improving accessibility, safety, and functionality throughout the entire facility. The project is the result of a dynamic and collaborative process, with valuable input from WCMS faculty, leadership, donors, and community stakeholders who have supported the school throughout its 44-year history.

WCMS founder Corie Nichols shared her enthusiasm: “It is a thrill to see WCMS expand, building on its history of over 40 years of bringing all ages in the community together to hear, play, appreciate, and experience the joy of music.”

The school launched its “SoundBreaking” capital campaign in 2023 to raise funds for the expansion. WCMS is grateful for a number of early leadership gifts that have allowed the school to start the construction process. With the excitement of the project now starting, fundraising is continuing in earnest with a new momentum.

The April 16 event celebrated not only the groundbreaking itself, but the vision and community spirit that made this moment possible.

For more information, contact Laurie Russell, Executive Director, at lrussell@winchestermusic.org or (781) 721-2950 x. 227.