Hannah Holman's love of Iowa goes back at least as far as 2001-02, when she first joined the Quad-City Symphony and took a teaching position at the University of Iowa.  Over the years as she gained a local following and put down roots, a vision kept recurring in her mind — the Quad-Cities needed a home for high-quality music instruction, especially in stringed instruments.  As the concept formed in her mind, she casually shared it with a few friends.  Late in 2018, one of them called her back and said, "that dream you told me about — I think we've found the perfect place for it, and you should come take a look."  

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The place, of course, was the former dean's residence of Trinity Cathedral. The building had been vacant for well over a decade and was being considered for demolition.  Holman, however, immediately saw the potential to save the building and further her dream of a dedicated program of string instruction.  She formed the organization, assembled a board of directors, secured funding, and guided the infant organization through the building renovation and startup process.  Now entering its third year of service to the community, The Deanery School of Music is a tribute to her determination and audacity.​