Pascal Archer

Hailed by the New York Times as “outstanding clarinetist”, Pascal Archer leads an active career as a performer and teacher.

He is the founder and artistic director of the Exponential Ensemble, a mixed chamber music ensemble creating interactive music educational programs connecting music with math, science and literacy. He is also the Principal Clarinet of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, the Glimmerglass Festival Orchestra and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic.

Pascal served as Acting Principal Clarinet of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra for three seasons and is currently a guest clarinetist for the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. He has played on several New York City Broadway Show productions such as Sweeney Todd, Mary Poppins, South Pacific, On the Town, Fiddler on the Roof and My Fair Lady. Mr. Archer is also a former member of the New World Symphony, America’s Orchestral Academy.

As a chamber musician, he is a member of the American Modern Ensemble and he has collaborated with the JACK and St. Lawrence String Quartets, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Camerata Pacifica, and toured with Musicians from Marlboro. He has performed at renowned festivals such as Marlboro, Mostly Mozart, Monadnock, Verbier Orchestra, Spoleto USA and the Sun Valley Summer Symphony.

Mr. Archer is on faculty at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege Division and adjunct at Fordham University and the Hunter College. Additionally, he coaches chamber music for the Chamber Music Center of New York, the Alaria Chamber Ensemble.

Originally from Québec, Canada, Mr. Archer holds music performance degrees from the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal, Université de Montréal (BM), Indiana University (PD) and the Manhattan School of Music (MM).

Manhattan School of Music Precollege Faculty since 2006.

Photo: Matt Dine