Musicians Behind the Scenes: Bass Clarinetist Paul Demers
February 4, 2026
Where were you born? I was born in Portland, Maine.
What piece of music could you play over and over again? Any Mahler symphony.
What is your most treasured possession? The people I love and the home we create.
What’s your favorite food? Italian food, with meatballs at the top of the list!
Tell us about your instrument. I recently began performing on a Backun bass clarinet. Made in Canada by Morrie Backun, the instrument makes my job much easier, and I feel inspired every time I play it.
What’s in your instrument case? Lots of reeds, a humidifier, a spare mouthpiece, screwdrivers, cork grease, mints.
What is the most challenging piece you have ever played? Osiris by Matthias Pintscher, for its demanding bass clarinet writing and extended virtuosic solos on contrabass clarinet.
When did you join the Orchestra? In 2006.
Do you play any other instruments? In the Orchestra, I play all members of the clarinet family (B-flat, A, C, E-flat, basset horn, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet). In my earlier training, I also played saxophone, and I played mellophone with the Boston Crusaders Drum Corps.
What’s your favorite Philadelphia restaurant? Double Knot.
What do you love most about Philadelphia? I love the food scene and the charm of Philadelphia’s diverse neighborhoods.
What’s your go-to karaoke song? Nope.
Other than Marian Anderson Hall, where is your favorite place to perform? Carnegie Hall, for its rich history and amazing acoustics.
What is your favorite memory with the Orchestra? My first day playing with the Orchestra. The same morning I left my position with “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, I drove to Philadelphia and rehearsed for an Asian tour with the Orchestra and Wolfgang Sawallisch. I was excited, nervous, and in awe of the musicians around me!
Photo by Melissa Hernandez