Coldplay drummer Will Champion returned to familiar ground this week, helping to open a brand-new £5.4 million music centre at Peter Symonds College in Winchester, an institution he once called home. The new Russell Music Centre, named in honour of the college’s current principal, was officially unveiled with Champion on hand for the ribbon-cutting, turning the spotlight on a space designed to inspire the next wave of musicians.
Will Champion, originally from Southampton, studied at the college during his younger years. He took a break from Coldplay’s ongoing world tour to attend the opening, a move that delighted students and staff alike. Reflecting on how the campus has changed since his student days, he remarked, “It’s grown enormously since I was here. Back then, the music provision was good, but fairly limited. Now, this place it’s stunning. Beautifully designed, packed with top-end equipment, and made for young people to really explore music.”
The centre includes professional-grade rehearsal rooms, soundproof recording booths, and cutting-edge music production software. The goal is to give students direct access to the kind of resources they would encounter in real-world studios, helping bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry practice.
Champion toured the new space alongside students, chatting with them about their musical goals and experiences. He spoke not just of the technology in the building, but about what music education means more broadly. “It’s not only about giving students confidence and encouraging creativity,” he said. “It’s also about preserving something special. Our music culture is admired across the world, and we should nurture it. The more we invest in it, the stronger it gets.”
Students were clearly excited by both the visit and the facility itself. Several commented on how different the space felt from the previous music department. “It’s a huge step up,” one student said. “The equipment, the space, it really feels like we’re being prepared for the real world of music.” Another added, “This makes a massive difference. It opens up possibilities.”
The Russell Music Centre is part of a broader effort by Peter Symonds College to invest in modern learning environments. The college hopes the new facility will offer a launching pad for students interested in both performance and music production careers.
Champion’s visit served as a full-circle moment: proof that the seeds planted in a college music room can eventually grow into something global.