Meet Sara Cenatiempo, a born musician from Lakeville, Minnesota. Sara was born singing on key and found ways to make up songs wherever she went. At age 5, she started piano lessons and quickly blossomed as a pianist, winning her first competition at age 8. By age 18 she had received 13 consecutive superior ratings in the National Federation Music Festival in both piano solo and piano concerto earning the President’s Cup. This is the highest honor one can achieve in the juniors division of the NFMF. At age 12, Sara started vocal studies and also soared, receiving only superior ratings in the few years she participated in the NFMF for voice. During her high school years, Sara furthered her studies by attending master classes at Brigham Young University and working with Dr. Del Parkinson, from Boise State University, for additional supplemental learning. She attended music clinics during summers at both Brigham Young University and Northwestern College of Minnesota, constantly refining her craft. Sara was asked to play piano at her high school graduation where she graduated with honors.

 

During college at Utah Valley University, Sara continued her piano studies privately while simultaneously earning her bachelor's degree in elementary education. It was during this time that she discovered her real love for songwriting. Taking everything she had studied in music and applying it to personal stories, Sara began her songwriting journey. At first it was a closet hobby, but in time she began sharing her music at college campus talent shows and in coffee shops. Sara wrote many songs her first year teaching fifth grade to help her students learn, including a class theme song. One of her professors heard this theme song and Sara was asked to perform it with her students at her college graduation convocation where she graduated Cum Laude. The song was later purchased by other teachers who used it for their classes as well. 

 

After graduating, Sara utilized her passion for music to build her own studio for piano and vocal studies in Henderson, Nevada. Sara’s music studio quickly became a success and the home to hundreds of students over the years. Her songwriting continued on the side during her teaching. Sara worked on many private projects for others but eventually started to share her own personal work. Her first release, Forever Yours, touched the hearts of those who had suffered infant and pregnancy loss. Shared on Facebook, Forever Yours has over 50k views. 

 

From there, songwriting has become a second language to Sara. She won the highest award (Award of Distinction) at her first attempt submitting an original contemporary song for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, had another original song, RISE, purchased and arranged for Cantus Youth Choirs in Boise, Idaho, has written original instrumentals for podcasts, a theme song for the non-profit organization- Just Do Some Good, written original covers and piano arrangements and works with many other artists either through co-writing or ghost writing. She continues to work on projects for clients, teach privately, be a wife and mother to her two children, and create songs of her own!