MUSE • Musicians United for Social Equity

Biography

Jon Paul (JP) Bernabe is a Filipino-American bassist based in New York City, with wide-ranging experience as a performer,
collaborator, and educator. Equally at home in classical, jazz, and contemporary genres, JP has performed at Carnegie Hall,
Merkin Hall, and other prestigious venues, collaborating with artists such as the Kronos Quartet, Lara Downes, Julia Bullock,
Time for Three, and Vijay Gupta.
Known for his stylistic versatility and strong collaborative sensibility, JP is skilled highly in bass guitar, allowing him to play
dozens of concerts outside of the classical music sphere. Such collaborations include singer/songwriters, original bands,
weddings, and cover bands of all genres. Additionally, JP has doubled on multiple regional musical theater productions
around the metropolitan area, including the off-broadway run of Local Singles.
JP has participated in leading chamber music and new music festivals, including the Bowdoin International Music Festival,
Bang on a Can, and the Maine Chamber Music Festival. He is a founding member of underStaffed, a nonprofit collective
dedicated to expanding the reach of classical music.
As an educator, JP maintains a private studio and teaches at Encore Music Studio in Ridgewood, NJ. He previously served
as a Teaching Artist for the New Jersey Symphony. He has completed his Bachelor of Music in Double Bass Performance at
Montclair State University (25’) and has been accepted to the Master’s program for Music at The New School. Beyond
music, he enjoys cooking, film, and reading.