Meet Hannah Duncan | Violinist & Musician Practice Planner Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hannah Duncan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hannah, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
As a musician that has a lot of pieces to practice I needed a way to remember of what I’ve practiced. I’m the type of person that easily forgets what I’ve practiced within the week and what still needs work so I had to come up with a system for keeping track. When I was auditioning for music schools for undergrad I remember using a simple chart that I created on Microsoft Excel to keep track but I knew I also needed something inspiring or more atheistically pleasing to look at rather than Excel sheets. Thus I turned to designing. I always designed promotional posters for my concerts I’d put on as a kid I knew I could make some fun for something I actually needed. After designing a few, I thought that many other musicians could actually benefit from having a system to help them organize their practice. At the same time I wanted to start my own website to promote myself as a musician so I decided to combine the two and try to make a profit from my designing hobby.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Like most musicians I’ve started at a very young age and I’ve been fortunate to get encouraging teachers and mentors ever since I started. I lived in the middle of nowhere Iowa and had to travel extensively for music lessons and extra curricular musical performances or events in which homeschooling had its advantages to perform and work with professionals at a very young age. It’s from those opportunities that I developed mentorships along the way that have been invaluable for me as an upcoming professional. For me, it feels like it’s only gotten more difficult to reach a higher level of musicianship. It’s being able to focus in on the minuscule details that from a distance may seem silly but in actuality may win you that job. I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge and it’s thanks to my teachers, mentors, and especially my family for helping me reach my goals as a musician. I wouldn’t be the musician I am without them and I really owe them a lot of thanks and gratitude for helping me along my journey. One of the blessings during covid that I experienced was to be able to hone in on my skills as a violinist. I had no distractions in the middle of nowhere Iowa which made it easier but I was also bothered that I couldn’t play music or share it with other people. It was during this summer of 2020 that I participated in Music Academy of the West’s Remote Learning Institute, and while we had online lessons and studio classes it wasn’t the same as in person. However, I still took every advantage and opportunity I could during this time of zoom university. Thus it lead me to audition for a 10 day residency to perform with and alongside the London Symphony Orchestra. After weeks of hard intense work, I won the audition and I look forward to participate in London this fall to experience this residency! Throughout all of my challenges, I’ve learned that patience is key, having grit and determination is a must, and never letting my passion for music ever leave my hands.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
While I’m here in Aspen, Colorado for the Aspen Music Festival, I’d definitely want to take a friend hiking! Maybe I’m being selfish but since I’m from the midwest, I don’t normally see the great mountain views. After a day of hiking I’d probably take them downtown for pizza at Aspen Tap / Aspen Brewing and then drinks at Hooch Craft Cocktail bar! They have some of the best pizza and cocktails I’ve ever had in my opinion!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I really started thinking differently about what a musician could really do in the music world after attending Music Academy of the West’s Remote Learning Institute. Going through that program made me realize that there are a numerous careers beyond just performing music, and while that’s my ultimate goal is to be performing music it certainly got my creative juices flowing. It was soon after this program that I started really diving into designing. A few of the people that has helped me a lot with my business are my best friends Nisha and Charlotte. We’ve always been ones to geek out about music and entrepreneurial ideas in the music world. They both have helped me bounce off business ideas and helped me explore what other concepts I could incorporate into my products. They are never ones to shy away from helping me find the design flaws or proof read anything I send to them. My business wouldn’t be where it is without them.

Website: https://www.hmdviolin.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hmdviolin/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-duncan-630099191/

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/hmdviolin

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCszD1gHZ1uAxv9_2kyAShQA

Other: https://linktr.ee/hmdviolin

Image Credits
Hannah Duncan