First look in the new Music School

The contractors are making great progress on our new Music School. We’ve been particularly excited to watch the huge structure rise from the ground over the past couple of terms. When complete, it will house music teaching for Warwick Prep and King’s High School, as well as offering world-class performance spaces for all pupils in our Foundation.

We were recently allowed access for a first-look at the interior of the building.

The front of the new Music School.

The Auditorium.

The One Campus Plus campaign aims to raise funds to further enhance this exceptional building. A recent example of this is the generous donation of funds to allow the purchase of the historic Lady Susi Jeans Organ. The impressive instrument belonged to the influential organist and music teacher, Lady Susi Jeans. Through her many broadcasts and concerts from the mid-1930s, she introduced new life into British organ-playing, and inspired a generation of musicians.

The organ was a wedding gift from Lady Susi’s husband, Sir James Jeans, the eminent physicist, astronomer, and pioneer of British cosmology.  The organ was installed in their home, Cleveland Lodge in Dorking, which later became home to the Royal School of Church Music. Lady Susi also helped to save many historic organs around the country for future generations. At King’s High, the organ will grace a dedicated room in the new Music School.

Richard Nicholson, Head Master, (and a former Oxford University organ scholar) commented: ‘This wonderful instrument will now go on to inspire many musicians on this site, as it has done for many years at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Lady Susi Jeans Organ.

We are very grateful to our donor family who has made the purchase, restoration and installation of this organ possible.