Paul R. Demers

Since 2006 Paul Demers has been a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra, where he serves as bass clarinetist. Prior to joining the ensemble, he was the E-flat clarinetist, soloist, and a clarinet section member with “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Demers has appeared with leading ensembles including the New York Philharmonic, the National Symphony, and the Baltimore Symphony. An active chamber musician, he has performed at major festivals such as the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival, the Saratoga Chamber Music Festival, the Kingston (Rhode Island) Chamber Music Festival, and Bravo! Vail. In Philadelphia, he performs regularly with the Dolce Suono Ensemble and the Network for New Music, and he has appeared on the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society series.

A dedicated educator, Mr. Demers serves on the faculty of the Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University and teaches at both the Curtis Institute of Music and the New World Symphony. He also gives frequent master classes for the clarinetists in the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra.

Originally from Westbrook, Maine, he studied at the University of Southern Maine before earning his Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Certificate in Performance from DePaul University in Chicago. His principal teachers include Tom Parchman, Julie DeRoche, Larry Combs, and John Bruce Yeh.