Meet the 2023 Percussion Educational Team: Allen Justus, Tommy Roam, and Suvin Varghese Promoted To New Roles

Following the Bluecoats’ 2022 receipt of the Fred Sanford Award for Best Percussion Performance, the 2022 educational team largely returns with several key promotions and additions.

Allen Justus teaching the 2022 front ensemble.

Allen Justus, a longtime member of the Bluecoats percussion educational team, will return to the team as Front Ensemble Coordinator, with the additional new role of Assistant Percussion Caption Head. Allen currently lives in Tallahassee FL, where he is a freelance musician, consultant, and private lesson teacher. He instructs the Leon Community Steel Bands and also enjoys working with the Lion Steel Band program at Leon High School, which is directed by his wife, Kayleen. Allen served as the Front Ensemble section leader both for the Bluecoats and for Rhythm X. In 2004, he was named Percussion Member of the Year at Bluecoats and joined the percussion staff in 2005-2007. He returned to teach in 2013 and served as a Front Ensemble Technician until the 2021 season, when he was promoted to Front Ensemble Coordinator. Allen was part of the 2022 Bluecoats Percussion team whose ensemble earned the Fred Sanford Award for Best Percussion Performance. He has served on the Front Ensemble Staff at Rhythm X, Atlanta Quest, and most recently he is excited to be consulting with Infinity Percussion out of Orlando, Florida.

Also returning to the team in new roles are Tommy Roam and Suvin Varghese. These two longtime Bluecoats battery instructors are promoted to Battery Coordinators. Suvin is an educator from the Bay Area, and currently resides in Southern California. He has been on the Bluecoats battery staff since 2016. Outside of percussion education and performance, Suvin has an Ed.S in Educational Psychology and is currently working as a School Psychologist in private practice and in public schools. Tommy is a percussionist, educator, and designer from Dayton, Ohio. He is currently the percussion director for Kettering Fairmont HS, and has been involved with Bluecoats for the better half of a decade.

Tommy Roam & Suvin Varghese, Battery Coordinators

Tom Rarick, Composer / Director of Percussion

Roger Carter, Percussion Caption Head

Dr. Ryan Kilgore, DMA, Music Ensemble Coordinator / Percussion Caption Advisor

The percussion caption leadership team will all return. Including Tom Rarick, Composer / Director of Percussion; Roger Carter, Percussion Caption Head; and Dr. Ryan Kilgore, Music Ensemble Coordinator / Percussion Caption Advisor. Combined, this team has over 35 seasons of experience at Bluecoats. Aside from Bluecoats, Tom previously served as a percussionist for more than two decades with the United States Air Force Band Ceremonial Brass in Washington DC, is composer, arranger, and consultant for several bands and pageantry organizations, and serves as a Winter Guard International adjudicator. Roger has been a major component at Broken City since its inception and works with percussion programs across Southern California. Ryan serves as the Adjunct Instructor of Music, Percussion & Director of Scot Marching Band at The College of Wooster.

Along with the many returning battery and front ensemble instructors, Bluecoats is excited to welcome Tom Gasparini, TJ Goss, and Nic Rundell to the team as Battery Instructors.

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2023 Percussion Educational Team

• Tom Rarick, Composer / Director of Percussion

• Roger Carter, Percussion Caption Head

• Allen Justus, Assistant Percussion Caption Head / Front Ensemble Coordinator

• Dr. Ryan Kilgore, DMA, Music Ensemble Coordinator / Percussion Caption Advisor

• Tommy Roam, Battery Coordinator

• Suvin Varghese, Battery Coordinator

• Tom Gasparrini, Battery Instructor

• TJ Goss, Battery Instructor

• Zach Gruse, Battery Instructor

• Joe Hobbs, Battery Instructor

• Cassius Johnson, Battery Instructor

• John Lluvera, Battery Instructor

• Nic Rundell, Battery Instructor

• Zach Wilson, Battery Instructor

• Joe Woodie, Battery Instructor

• Connor Yasuda, Battery Instructor

• Ben Armeni, Front Ensemble Instructor

• Robby Buetow, Front Ensemble Instructor

• Claire Kenney, Front Ensemble Instructor

• Jake Lyons, Front Ensemble Instructor

• Marc Rivet, Front Ensemble Instructor