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.
Melissa Draper
Viola Instructor and Guest Artist
Melissa has been playing and loving the violin since she was four years old. At 15, she was thrown into the world of viola as she performed throughout Europe with the Rocky Mountain Youth Camerata. As a young musician, Melissa won numerous competitions, including Music Teachers National Association, the American String Teachers Association, the Utah State Fair, and Stillman-Kelly. At 19, she soloed with the Utah Symphony, playing Vieuxtemps’s Concerto No. 4.
Melissa initially studied violin performance at Brigham Young University and later pursued her Master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music. Currently, she works as both a teacher and a freelance musician. She is part of the violin and viola faculty at Snow College, maintains her own private studio, and is a prolific recording artist who performs regularly. Melissa has worked extensively with LA East, LDS Motion Picture Studios, and MTPit. She is also a regular musician for Ballet West and other musical groups in the area.
Additionally, Melissa has taught at The Gifted Music School and The Waterford School. She served as the Director of Artistic Planning for the Stradivarius International Violin Competition in 2007 and 2010. Melissa feels immensely grateful to all her teachers, including Hiroko Primrose, Debbie Moench, Jack Ashton, Igor and Vesna Gruppman, and Robert and Nicholas Mann, who have enriched her life through their knowledge and skills. She also feels honored to have worked with prestigious performers such as Glenn Dicterow, Joseph Silverstein, James Stern, Andres Cardenes, Zakhar Bron, and Steven Clapp.
When not engaged in music and teaching, Melissa enjoys spending quality time with her husband and their four young children.
Katie Larsen
Workshop Director
Katie’s violin studies began at age nine and included private lessons, school and competitive youth orchestras, and eventually university ensembles. She earned a BA in Communications & Advertising from BYU and has garnered 10+ years experience managing operations for multi-million dollar marketing campaigns for companies like Aetna and CVS Health. Katie currently plays in the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra and Intermountain Choral Artists' Symphony, and teaches a small studio of students. This summer marks her sixth year supporting the JOB String Workshop. She relishes the chance to expand 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 enjoys her family, church and community service, historical fiction and spin classes.