We were lucky to catch up with Hannah Jensen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hannah, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

As soon as I stepped off the stage at age 5 after my first piano recital, I knew that I wanted to be a musician. It seems a little strange to say that I knew in that moment what I wanted for my life, but I was certain. Playing and creating music as a kid was what brought me the most joy, with no set goal other than to transfer whatever was on my heart to a piece of paper. These days, I still chase the desire to create for myself, but I am also trying to create for a living. This can sometimes be frustrating and messy, but the joy is still very much there. I never feel more myself and more content than I do during the process of creating new music. I do at times wonder if I would enjoy a more stable occupation or days that are more consistent, but I know I would not feel as fulfilled as I do now. I am so thankful for the ways in which I can create, and I work hard so that I can depend more on my art as I get older.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

When I was a college student as a piano performance and K-12 music education major, I taught several private piano lessons and composed my own songs on the side. It was nice to have a break from the rigor of classical music training during the school day, and I was glad to grow in my two passions: teaching and songwriting. Today, I would call myself a teaching artist. I currently have a piano studio of 60 private students, and a few years ago started a nonprofit, Hastings Community Music Academy, which is dedicated to teaching various forms of music to people of all ages and abilities. In a day, I teach anyone ranging from preschoolers to retirees, which is such a beautiful thing. When I am not teaching, I spend as much time as I can composing. I recently wrote and premiered an original Advent Cantata that is centered around the biblical stories of women, and it is a work that I am very proud of. I am currently working on my first symphony, an idea for a musical, a children’s Christmas program, vocal song cycles, and also just whatever pop song comes through my mind. When the songs are written, I love recording them and working with producers to bring what I hear to life. I have released several songs which can be heard wherever music is streamed. I am proud of the different styles and genres of music I am able to write, and I am always wanting to write something different from what I’ve done before.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I sometimes get caught up in the goal to write as much as I possibly can and to get all that is in my head out on a page, which is probably a fine goal. But when I really take time to reflect, that way of thinking distracts me from the real reason I love to write, which is to create music that fills my heart and lifts my spirit. I know that if I am creating something that resonates with me, it will resonate with others, and that is the mission I try to lean into when I’m writing new music.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I love that I can create something out of nothing, and I love that the music I wrote didn’t exist until I wrote it. I think that is such a special gift that creatives have. I am constantly in awe of art that is in the world and often think to myself, “wow, someone created that” and it is so rewarding when I listen to something I wrote and can think, “wow, I created that.”

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahvaun/
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/16pY6wr4u9xsLnlOBw4kKV