Alastair Hanson

Hanson Group founder Alastair began his musical instrument making business in 1989 after graduating from Leeds College of Music and with support from The Prince’s Trust. More than thirty years on and joined by his wife Jenny, Hanson Musical Instruments are recognised amongst the world’s finest.

Alastair’s expertise and experience in instrument design and manufacturing has led to international demand for his services as a consultant. Alastair has worked with factories manufacturing for Buffet, Selmer, Backun, Keilwerth, Stomvi, Vincent Bach International, Rath, Ripamonté, Howarth, Blessing, Jupiter, and many more. Local demand is more likely to be from daughters Lucy and Eleanor young son Robin and not least Eleanor’s flock of chickens and guinea fowl

A qualified Ski Instructor and Ski Race Coach, Alastair has taught many youngsters in sport as well as music and is especially proud to coach daughters Lucy and Eleanor and share their successes and more importantly their smiles as they whizz past (regularly) on the snow. In his spare time he seeks out locally brewed real ales and ‘tinkers’ with Besty, his antique Landrover.

Visitors to the workshop will hear Alastair playing the clarinet, saxophone double bass, but his ‘first study’ is actually in brass instruments. Privileged to have studied with cornet legend James Shepherd, Alastair grew up playing with world-famous brass bands, going on to play horn professionally with the National Symphony Orchestra and as a soloist. A ‘multi-instrumentalist’ whose performances have included horn, trombone, trumpet and cornet… clarinet, saxophone and flute… alpenhorn, string bass, a coat-stand and bidet!