2024 Adjudicators/Clinicians

Partick Langham

Patrick Langham is an experienced educator and performer with a 20-year career at the University of the Pacific. As Professor and Director of Jazz Studies, Langham developed the university’s Jazz Studies degree programs. During his time at Pacific, Langham has traveled to Spain as a visiting jazz conductor, overseen student performances in Paraguay, and directed groups at the Monterey Jazz Festival, Reno Jazz Festival, San Sebastian Jazz Festival (Spain), Marciac Jazz Festival (France) and Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. As a saxophonist, he has performed with distinguished jazz artists including Lewis Nash, Bob Hurst, Donald Brown, Tom Harrell, Essiet Essiet, Terell Stafford, and Louis Hayes.

Tony Marvelli 

Tony Marvelli is a professor of music at American River College in Sacramento, California, and plays trumpet professionally in the Northern California area. He holds a Bachelor's of Music in Jazz Studies Performance from the University of North Texas and a Master's of Arts in Band Conducting from the American Band College of Sam Houston University. He has performed with major touring acts such as Engelbert Humperdinck and Paul Anka. Tony has been a public school educator since 2007, teaching music programs from 4th grade through college. 

Josh Murray 

Saxophonist Josh Murray has been Band Director at Rio Americano High School in Sacramento since 1998. Rio’s AM Jazz Ensemble has been a finalist at the Essentially Ellington Festival eleven times and the Charles Mingus Festival 13 times, was chosen as winners of the 2019 national “Perform With Bob Mintzer” competition, recently hosted and opened a concert with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and has performed worldwide on tours of Japan, China, Argentina, Italy, Spain, Australia, Ireland, Austria, The Czech Republic, with South Korea planned for 2025. Rio’s musicians and bands have won dozens of DownBeat Magazine Student Music Awards. Rio’s music students have gone on to nearly every top music school and conservatory, and many alumni are active professional musicians and educators. In 2024 Murray was awarded the California Music Education Association (CMEA’s) Jazz Education Award, and was recognized as a “Sacramento Hero of the Arts”. He is a contributing author to Teaching Music Through Performance in Jazz, Vol. 2.   

Brad North

Mr. North taught music in Northern California for thirty-eight years until retiring in May 2019. Mr. North has received numerous awards and honors, including Roseville Joint Union High School District Teacher of the Year, Placer County Teacher of the Year, Northern California Band Associations, Band Director of the Year, and California Music Educators Association’s, Capitol Section, Music Educator of the Year. In addition, Mr. North has received the CMEA Presidents Award and NCBA’s Legends Award. Mr. North served four terms as president of California Music Educators Association’s, Capitol Section, as well as serving on the board of the Northern California Band Association. Mr. North is the 2024 CMEA Aubrey Penman Award Winner, for continuing service to music education throughout California. Mr. North’s bands have performed throughout the United States and Canada, including performances at our Nation’s Capital, and performances for California’s Gubernatorial Inaugurations. Mr. North is currently a member of the California State University, Sacramento Music Ed. Department, coordinator of Capitol Section Golden Empire Music Festivals and an active adjudicator for both CMEA and NCBA.

Dr. Steve Roach - Sacramento State

Steve Roach has been the Director of Jazz Studies at California State University, Sacramento, since 2001. He has also served as Director of Jazz Studies at Baylor University and has held teaching positions at the University of Northern Colorado and Northern Illinois University. Steve’s duties at Sacramento State include directing small and large jazz ensembles, teaching jazz trumpet, administering the jazz studies and jazz education degree programs, and teaching jazz history. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree in trumpet performance from Indiana University, a Master of Music degree in trumpet performance from Northern Illinois University, and a Doctor of Arts degree in trumpet and jazz pedagogy from the University of Northern Colorado.

Professional appearances as an assisting artist include studio and live sessions with such jazz & pop musicians as Tito Puente, Dave Pietro, Brian Landrus, Louis Bellson, Billy Drummond, Alan Ferber, Conrad Herwig, Lou Rawls, Jon Tchicai, Ben Vereen, Melissa Manchester, Toni Tennille, Roberta Flack, Rosemary Clooney, Jeffrey Osbourne, Carl Fontana, Paquito D’Rivera, The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, The Glenn Miller and Jimmy Dorsey Orchestras, and others. 

Steve also works as a clinician and adjudicator for jazz festivals and various workshops nationwide and has directed several California high school honor jazz ensembles. In addition to maintaining an active schedule as a freelance artist, he is also the author of a popular collegiate Jazz Appreciation course available through the Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.

Stephanie Sugano 

Ms. Stephanie Sugano is the Director of Bands at Chilton Middle Schools in the Roseville City School District. She also is the musical director and conductor of the Roseville Community Concert Band.  In 2024 she was named Music Educator of the Year for CMEA-Capitol Section.  In 2017 she was named the Roseville City School District and Placer County "Teacher of the Year" and in 2006 she received Placer County's "Teachers who Make a Difference" award. Ms. Sugano previously served as President, Vice President, and Middle School Band Representative of the California Music Educator's Association (CMEA) Capitol Section. She is a member of the California Band Director's Association and the California Alliance of Jazz.

Ms. Sugano received her Master's Degree in Instrumental Conducting from CSU Sacramento. While there she acted as assistant conductor of the Sacramento State Concert Band. She earned two Bachelor of Arts degrees in music and sociology from the University of California, Davis. 

Paul Varoff

Paul Varoff recently retired after a 38 year career as a music educator. He began his teaching career at Madera High School and continued in the San Juan Unified School District for nine years teaching elementary, middle and high school instrumental and vocal music prior to teaching at Oak Ridge High School for the past 28 years. Mr. Varoff’s responsibilities included directing the Marching Band, Colorguard, Percussion Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and Beginning Instruments. Under his direction, the bands at Oak Ridge were continuously recognized for their excellence and outstanding level of musicianship.

In addition, Mr. Varoff taught for 25 years at the Donner Mine Music Camp, primarily coordinating and directing the Chamber Music Program. Mr. Varoff is a Past President of the Northern California Band and Choral Directors Association. In 2014, Mr Varoff was recognized by the Northern California Band and Choral Directors Association as their Director of the Year. Additionally, he has been recognized twice by the California Music Educators Association, Capitol Section, for his Excellence in Music Education.

Mr. Varoff received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of the Pacific (go Tigers!) and Master of Music Education with an Instrumental Conducting Emphasis from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.

John Zimny 

John Zimny, a native of Chicago, Illinois, began his music career as a trumpet player at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Following his enlistment he became the chief music arranger for the Academy Cadets serving in that capacity for 15 years. His interest in arranging and composing has led him to write for marching bands, drum corps, jazz choirs and jazz bands throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. He is a graduate of Northern Illinois University with degrees in Music Education and Psychology. He went on to teach music at Sacramento City College for several years and conducted classes in electronic composition, jazz improvisation, wind ensemble, jazz and brass ensemble before joining the outstanding Folsom music department. During his 25 year tenure in Folsom his bands were the recipients of many honors including numerous Downbeat awards for both his concert and jazz ensembles. He also served as Staff and Program Coordinator, as well as music arranger for the Sacramento Freelancers.

Mr. Zimny has been an adjudicator for CMEA, NCBA and a clinician for many years. He was recently inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame in New York for his contributions to the activity.