Bassoonist Joseph Grimmer Appointed to School of Music Faculty
July 10, 2017
An experienced performer and dedicated educator, Grimmer is Principal Bassoon of the Kennedy Center Opera House and Washington National Opera Orchestra
The University of Maryland School of Music welcomes bassoonist Joseph Grimmer to the faculty in the fall of 2017. An experienced performer and dedicated educator, Grimmer is Principal Bassoon of the Kennedy Center Opera House and the Washington National Opera Orchestra, teaches at the Miami Music Festival and has led masterclasses at university music programs around the country.
Prior to his appointment at the Kennedy Center, Grimmer served as Principal Bassoon with the Jacksonville Symphony, was a member of the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra and spent the 2013-14 season as Acting Assistant Principal Bassoon with the Naples Philharmonic. He has performed as Guest Principal Bassoon with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, IRIS Orchestra, Grand Rapids Symphony, Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra and Windsor Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with the Milwaukee Symphony, Savannah Philharmonic, and Arizona Musicfest Orchestras and regularly performs with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Since 2012, Grimmer has held the Assistant Principal Bassoon position with the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra in his hometown of Boulder, Colorado.
Grimmer has been a fellow at the Lucerne, Aspen and Sarasota Music Festivals and was a 2009 prize winner at the International Double Reed Society’s Young Artist Bassoon Competition in Birmingham, England. He maintains a private bassoon studio and previously taught at the Shenandoah Conservatory. Grimmer earned his Master of Music degree from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, where he studied with Benjamin Kamins. He previously studied with William Winstead at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, where he earned his Bachelor of Music degree.