Jesse Krentz, cello, is a 17-year-old Seattle native and 11th-grade student who began studying the cello at age six with his father and teacher, Kevin Krentz, with whom he continues to study. Jesse made his concerto debut in Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Youth Symphony at Benaroya Hall in 2022 and has since appeared as soloist with the Bellevue Symphony, Eastside Symphony, Central Oregon Symphony, Seattle Youth Symphony, and Northwest Philharmonia. He made his From the Top (NPR) debut in January 2025.

Jesse is the winner of numerous national and international competitions, including the MTNA National Senior Strings Competition,The Slava International Cello Competition, the Radda Rise National Competition, the Seattle Youth Symphony Concerto Competition, the New York Classical Music Competition Grand Prize, and the Performing Arts Festival of the Eastside Concerto Competition among others. He was also a 2025 YoungArts Winner, Morningside Music Bridge participant, and will attend the Perlman Music Program this coming summer. 

An avid chamber musician, Jesse studies at the Seattle Chamber Music Society Academy. His piano trio performed the U.S. premiere of a piano trio by Evgeny Kissin in his concert, has appeared on KING FM’s Northwest Focus several times, and given featured performances at the Seattle Chamber Music Society Summer Festival.