Jerome Simas

Jerome Simas is a Professor of Clarinet and Woodwind Chamber Music at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) and serves as the Collegiate Chair and Woodwind Department Chair. He has been the Solo Bass Clarinet and Utility Clarinet of the San Francisco Symphony since 2012, appointed by Michael Tilson Thomas. Simas is also a member of the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble and frequently performs with the Sierra Chamber Society and SF Symphony chamber music series.

He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied under Franklin Cohen. His performance credits include roles with the Cleveland Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, and numerous others. Simas has earned accolades such as the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition Grand Prize and the International Clarinet Association’s Young Artist Competition First Prize.

As an educator, Simas teaches at SFCM and coaches the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. His pedagogical focus includes clarinet technique, ensemble collaboration, and audition preparation. He co-founded the SFCM Bass Clarinet Summer Intensive Program.

Notable recordings include New World Jazz with the New World Symphony and Quartet for the End of Time with the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble. His performances have been praised for their technical mastery and expressive depth, as highlighted in reviews from San Francisco Chronicle and Grammophone Magazine.