Last fall, Frost School of Music professor of flute Jennifer Grim suddenly found herself in three prominent leadership positions. She had just become chair of the Instrumental Performance Department (MIP), the largest program at the Frost School, a promotion that was accelerated after the sudden passing of her predecessor, Robert Carnochan, in September. She was preparing to become president of the 5,000-member National Flute Association that November. And she was coming off her fourth summer as artistic administrator of the Frost School at Festival Napa Valley, the elite classical music and cultural celebration.
But Grim said that leading those external organizations, as well as her recent term as president of Chamber Music America, has deepened her understanding of the classical music world in ways that benefit MIP.
“I’m in constant dialogue with leading orchestral and chamber musicians across the country, which gives me a deep understanding of how our peer institutions are evolving—especially when it comes to curriculum and professional development,” Grim said. “These connections allow me to bring fresh ideas and national-level innovation into the MIP department, helping us stay ahead of the curve and preparing our students to thrive in a rapidly changing musical landscape.”
At MIP, the largest department at the Frost School, Grim initially focused on uniting faculty and students in the wake of Carnochan’s loss. “Tragedy brought us together, and this department became a community,” she said. She organized student social events and helped bring the MIP Student Advisory Council back to robust life.
Grim, who joined the Frost School in 2019, believes she can bring fresh ideas to the program. “Many of my colleagues have been teaching here for decades, and that brings consistency and a longstanding record of excellence,” she said. “But it also reminds us of the work still ahead—to ensure our faculty reflects the multiplicity we strive for in our students and our field.”
She hopes to expand the program with things like a lecture series on other skills in addition to musical performance. “I look forward to strengthening our relevance in the 21st century while growing our reputation as one of the leading classical music instrumental programs in the country,” Grim said.
Her work at Festival Napa Valley helps expand that reputation. There, Grim selects Frost School and other faculty, helps choose which students are admitted, and works with festival leaders to program orchestral and chamber concerts. “It’s terrific to bring Frost School faculty to the festival and have them work alongside leaders in chamber and orchestral music performance,” said Grim. “What I find the most exciting is every year the level of students is higher, which means the reputation of the Frost School of Music has grown through this partnership.”
Grim was chosen to be president of the NFA, the world’s largest organization for a single instrument, after 15 years as a member. She works with other leaders to run their annual 3,000-person summer convention (which last summer honored longtime former Frost School associate flute professor Trudy Kane), provides scholarships, commissions music, fundraises, and interacts with donors. All of this supports her work at MIP, she said. “My experience with being the chair of MIP has helped me be a better president of NFA and vice versa.”
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