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Arts & Entertainment

Local Violinist Earns Grammy Nomination for Disney-Themed Album

Jenny Oaks Baker opens up about life as a classical violinist

Jenny Oaks Baker can’t wait for February. The violinist’s tenth album, “Wish Upon A Star,” has earned her a spot at the 54th Grammy Awards for Best Pop Instrumental Album. This is Baker’s first Grammy nomination.

“It’s a great album,” said the Annandale resident and mother of four. “I think if people listen to it, they’ll like it. Our oldest child is 10 and so for the past five years we’ve been living and breathing Disney. I love the magic of Disney, I love the message of Disney and I love the music of Disney so it came pretty naturally to want to do a Disney album.”

Baker said “Wish Upon A Star” has universal appeal. “It’s not sappy, kiddy Disney,” she explained. “Kids love it because they love the themes and adults love it because it’s sophisticated. It’s been really successful. Grandparents are buying it for their grandchildren and children are buying it for their parents.”

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Emmy Award-winning composer Kurt Bestor arranged the album. “He did a superb job of taking each arrangement and creating a journey,” said Baker. “You go through a journey and you have an experience and you really arrive somewhere. This music touches you deeply.” 

Baker recorded the album in the spring and traveled around the country this fall performing songs including “Once Upon A Dream,” “A Whole New World,” “Colors of the Wind” and “Tale As Old As Time.” The violinist performs up to 50 concerts a year with full orchestras. She said that performing with a full orchestra gives the arrangements on “Wish Upon A Star” a lush, epic sound.

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She has played with the National Symphony Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony, the Utah Symphony, the Great Falls Symphony and other orchestras across the country and the world. She has also performed locally with the Alexandria Symphony and at the on Little River Turnpike.

Upcoming local performances include free shows at the Mormon temple in Kensington, Md. as part of the temple’s Festival of Lights on Sunday, Dec. 11 and Monday, Dec. 12 at 7 and 8 p.m. She will play songs from her Christmas album, “O Holy Night.”

Baker will also perform at as a benefit for their orchestra program on Wednesday, Jan. 25. The concert will be free for all Annandale Pyramid Orchestra students and their families and open to the public by donation.

The violinist and her husband have lived in Annandale for 12 years. Though her roots and many of her fans are in Salt Lake City, Ut., Baker loves her home in Virginia. “We really like Annandale,” she said. “It’s so close to the city and I love my kids’ school.”

Each of Baker’s children, ages 10, eight, six and five, plays an instrument and practices up to three hours a day. The four children will most likely perform “It’s A Small World” at the AHS benefit concert in January.

For Baker, playing music is a very spiritual experience. “It feels fabulous to feel like you’re one with your maker and to touch hearts through your music,” she said. “My favorite response from people is when I hear sniffing. I love applause but when I see people wiping away tears I know they’ve been touched. I feel blessed to be a part of that.”

The violinist appreciates the power music has to unify people. “I have a lot of fans that tell me they’ve lost a child and my music helped them or they’re going through a difficult time in various ways and it helped them,” she said. “I’m grateful for that because it’s not just entertainment. It’s actually making their lives better.”

Learn more about Baker by visiting her website. Her music is available for purchase on iTunes or Amazon.com.

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