Meet the JOB Performance Workshop Team
and Guest Artists
Jenny Oaks Baker
Workshop Founder & Violin Instructor
America’s Violinist, Jenny Oaks Baker is a Grammy Nominated, Billboard No. 1 performer and recording artist. She received her Master of Music degree from the renowned Juilliard School and her Bachelor’s Degree from The Curtis Institute of Music.
Jenny has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Strathmore Hall, The Library of Congress and as a guest soloist with The National Symphony, Jerusalem Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Utah Symphony, and the Tabernacle Choir on Temple Square. Jenny has also collaborated with such luminaries as Marie Osmond, Gladys Knight, Marvin Hamlisch, and the former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Jenny has released nineteen studio albums since 1998. They have sold over a million copies and consistently rank in the Top 5 on Billboard's Classical Charts. Her album "Wish Upon a Star: A Tribute to the Music of Walt Disney" earned a nomination at the 54th GRAMMY Awards for Best Pop Instrumental Album, and is played at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom to introduce their nightly fireworks shows. Jenny’s emotionally stirring music has also been featured on the soundtracks of many films, and her music videos have received over 20 million views.
Recently Jenny began producing concerts and tours to enable more people throughout the world to experience her inspiring music. Jenny’s newest show, “The Redeemer” has performances in four cities this year in preparation for a 2024 national tour culminating in a Lincoln Center performance.
Jenny, her husband Matthew, and their four children are from in SLC, UT. Jenny and her children perform throughout the world as musical group Jenny Oaks Baker & Family Four.
Sarah Baker
Cello Instructor
Sarah Baker, age 18, began playing cello at age three and attends the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, studying with Dr. Alison Wells. Sarah has soloed with The Utah Symphony, Utah Philharmonic and with the Timpanogos, American Fork and Warminster Symphonies. Sarah won the Utah Symphony Youth Guild Competition in 2020 and 2016 and the Washington Performing Arts Society Feder Competition in 2015. Sarah and her sister Hannah were also selected to to perform on NPR’s popular From The Top Program in 2022.
With her mother and siblings, Sarah has performed in musical group ”Jenny Oaks Baker & Family Four" with orchestras and choirs throughout the country including The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra on Temple Square, the Millennial Choirs and Orchestras and The Utah Symphony. A favorite with audiences, they have performed throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and in Africa. Their debut album, “Jenny Oaks Baker & Family Four” hit #4 on the Billboard Classical Crossover and Classical Charts and their most recent album, “Joy to the World” hit #7 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Chart.
Sarah enjoys playing soccer, weight lifting, sprinting and politics.
Hannah Baker
Piano Instructor & Collaborative Pianist
Hannah Baker, age 20, began playing the piano when she was four years old and studied with Irene Fox. Hannah currently studies with Rustem Hayroudinoff at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
As a soloist, Hannah has won the Utah Symphony Youth Guild and Encore Keyboard Competitions and has been awarded Best Liszt & Best Ravel Performances by the Great Performers Competition. Hannah has also soloed with The Utah Symphony, Timpanogos Symphony, and the Utah Philharmonic.
A highly sought after collaborative pianist, in 2023 Hannah was appointed to be the Young Artist Pianist at both SongFest in Nashville and the Manetti Shrem Opera Conservatory at Festival Napa Valley. With her mother and siblings, Hannah has performed in musical group “Jenny Oaks Baker & Family Four" with orchestras and choirs throughout the US including The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra on Temple Square and the Utah Symphony. A favorite with audiences Jenny Oaks Baker & Family Four have performed with the Tabernacle Choir & Orchestra at Temple Square and the Utah Symphony, as well as throughout Europe, Asia and in Africa. Their debut album, “Jenny Oaks Baker & Family Four” hit #4 on the Billboard Classical Crossover and Classical Charts and their most recent album, “Joy to the World” hit #7 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Chart.
Hannah enjoys hiking, reading and teaching her 9 piano students.
Kurt Bestor
Composer and Guest Instructor
For over 4 decades, composer/performer Kurt Bestor has made an indelible mark on the world of music earning him two Emmy-awards, a Grammy nomination, and huge following of fans the world over. His iconic A Cappella song “Prayer of the Children” continues to be one of the most popular choir songs and has been sung by the Harlem Boys Choir, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, The King Singers, and Three Dog Night. Bestor is most noted for his orchestral arrangements which he has done for numerous recording sessions and live concerts, including songs for Andrea Bocelli, Dolly Parton, Donny and Marie Osmond, Steven Tyler, The 2 Cellos, & Jenny Oaks Baker. Bestor has shown his versatility by composing a number of large classical works including a full length ballet, an oratorio, several symphonic tone poems and other symphonic works performed by the Utah Symphony, The Cape Cod Philharmonic Orchestra, the Estonian National Symphony, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. In the western United States, Bestor is perhaps best known for his 35 years of performing “A Kurt Bestor Christmas.”
Makenzie Hart
Guest Performer
Makenzie Hart is an artist that puts her heart into everything she does. Residing in New York City while studying with Laurie Smukler at The Juilliard School, Makenzie is incredibly grateful for the training she received growing up in Utah. She has formally studied with Eugene Watanabe in Salt Lake City as a Starling Scholar at The Gifted Music School and participated in many of the local competitions and programs, including the Utah Symphony’s Salute to Youth over three times.
Her artistry and education are taking her all around the world, including giving recitals in Carnegie Hall and concerts on the Great Wall of China. She has collaborated with artists such as Hilary Hahn, David Robertson, and Midori Goto. Makenzie just finished her junior year of undergrad at Juilliard, closing the year with a concert in collaboration with composer John Adams in David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. Makenzie is grateful to Jenny Oaks Baker for being an inspiration to her, and for helping her get to where she is today. When Makenzie is not playing the violin, she can be found trying ice cream places around Manhattan, spending time with friends, or traveling with her family.
Katie Larsen
Workshop Director
Katie’s violin studies began at age nine when she heard Sarah Chang’s interpretation of Vitali’s “Chaconne in G Minor.” She immediately requested lessons and began a journey of private study, community and competitive youth orchestras, and eventually university ensembles. Notable memories include being Concert Master of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony; competing in the 2006 Neva River Chamber Music Festival at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory; playing as the Principal second violinist in the Arizona Regional Symphony; and performing in both ASU and BYU’s Symphonies as a non-music major. The most influential teacher of her youth was Roberta Chorlton, a violinist of the Phoenix Symphony.
Katie earned a BA in Communiations & Advertising from BYU. She finds great excitement in helping businesses achieve their growth goals through innovative, results-driven marketing campaigns. Katie has worked as a Marketing Consultant for companies large and small, most notably Aetna and CVS Health where she has held various positions such as Regional Marketing Manager and Campaign Operations Manager for multi-million dollar campaigns.
Katie has recently pivoted her focus to raising her four young children. She plays in the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra and teaches a small studio of students. This summer marks her fifth year as a participant in the JOB Performance Workshop. She relishes in the opportunity to continue expanding her skills and loves inviting others to take advantage of the unique opportunity to study with a master like Jenny.
In her free time, Katie finds fulfillment in her family, church and community service, historical fiction and spin classes.