Alsager entrepreneur, Hannah Donkin, is preparing to launch her bold, new music tuition company, Music Squad this September.

Along with her own set of published tuition books, Hannah's on a mission to share the immense benefits of music and to kick some "serious life" into learning a musical instrument.

After graduating with a first-class degree in music in 2014, Hannah got her first full-time job teaching the piano in primary schools.

But the kind of teaching she was asked to do didn't reflect any of the fun or enjoyment she felt music was all about.

The lessons were serious and one-dimensional and the material dull and unimaginative.

"Learning an instrument should be lively and fun and so often it's not, I really felt like everyone was missing a trick", explains Hannah.

Hannah soon stopped teaching to pursue a corporate role, which since the March 2020 lockdown, she found herself doing from home in Alsager.

Hannah leaned on music more than ever during the pandemic and reflected on how much it had helped her throughout her life, and how little that joy was shared in schools.

Hannah decided it was time to finally revamp the experience of learning a musical instrument and so alongside her corporate job, got to work on creating Music Squad.

Hannah explains: "Everyone knows learning an instrument is good for some reason, but the benefits are actually immense.

"Playing an instrument develops life skills, social skills and has even been proven to improve IQ, but more than all of that is its incredible ability to boost well-being and self-esteem.

"So much of my confidence and personal identity comes from music, I can't imagine who I'd be without it.

"I'm so passionate about sharing the joy, friendship, and adventure that music has brought me, that when I realised instrument tuition in schools hadn't changed at all since 2014, I had to create Music Squad.

"We're on a mission to kick some serious life into learning an instrument and to share the immense benefits it can bring to all children, especially after the year we've all had."

Hannah has now left her corporate job and is busy preparing to launch individual and group piano lessons into primary schools across Cheshire and Manchester this September, including Alsager's Highfields and St Gabriel's schools.

She's also published her own unique series of piano tuition books to underpin Music Squad's bold, new approach.

Their "Squad Stars" books, published by an independent children's book publisher in Dorset, are carefully designed to maximise musical development without compromising on enjoyment.

"It was definitely a mission writing two books alongside a full-time job", explains Hannah, "but it so needed to be done.

"You can't create exciting piano lessons without exciting material and the books are absolutely at the centre of everything we stand for at Music Squad, I can't wait for children to start using them.

"The combination of our approach and material is a much-needed revolutionary new way for children to embrace music and to fall in love with playing a musical instrument.

"Let's get silly!"

Music Squad are currently recruiting piano teachers across Cheshire and Manchester, so whether you're a school teacher, a parent, or a passionate musician wanting to join Music Squad, get in touch with Hannah at [email protected] or visit their website for more details.