LASMTA 2026 Solo & Ensemble FestivaL
Schedule
Location MPR | Adjudicator Dr Isaac Lopez
Location Cafeteria | Adjudicator Mr Joseph Vranas
Location Band Room A110 | Adjudicator Ms Jackie DesRosier
Meet the Adjudicators
Jackie DesRosier is the founder and Associate Director of Global Arts, a nonprofit music education program providing free, high-quality music instruction to youth in Los Angeles’ Pico Union neighborhood. Since founding the organization in 2019, she has led the development of programming that centers educational equity, community partnership, and access to transformative arts experiences for young people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to study music.
A musician and educator by training, Jackie holds degrees in music education and French horn performance, as well as a Master of Arts in Teaching. Prior to founding Global Arts, she spent more than 15 years working across nonprofit arts organizations and public schools. Her work has included serving as a conductor and brass teaching artist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and teaching elementary general and instrumental music in Pasadena Unified School District. In addition to her work with students, Jackie is a presenter and facilitator for teacher training, collaborating with nonprofit organizations and teaching artists across the United States to strengthen arts education practices and support impactful classroom environments. Outside of her professional work, Jackie enjoys reading, eating popcorn, and spending time with her black cats. |
Joseph Vranas is a conductor, composer, and music educator in Los Angeles, California. He is the Artistic Director of the Gay Freedom Band of Los Angeles and a conductor for the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s YOLA Program. Joseph’s passion for community and education has been central to his career, and he has held conducting positions with the Saturday Conservatory of Music and Harmony Project's Youth orchestras and wind ensembles, and assisted music and art programs at Bell High School through EduCare.
Joseph’s diverse conducting career has taken him to stages across the United States and internationally. He has appeared as a conductor with the Moravská filharmonie Olomouc in the Czech Republic, Sofia Philharmonic in Bulgaria, the Pride Bands Alliance national conference in Denver, the Pacific Artists Collective in Oregon, and the Newfound Chamber Winds in Virginia. As a composer, Joseph has written for a wide range of settings, including concert hall, ballet, film, and theatre. His works have been performed in Bolivia, France, Germany, and across the US, earning him recognition from the Houston 48 Hour Film Competition, the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, the Bolivian Music Festival, and the Cannes Film Festival. Joseph holds Masters degrees in Composition and Trumpet Performance from the University of Oregon, and studied Composition and Music Education at Sam Houston State University. With 15 years of experience teaching high brass, music theory, and music history to students ranging from elementary school to college, he believes strongly in the transformative power of music education. His dedication has been recognized by the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) and the City of Bell, CA. |
Dr. Isaac López is a Los Angeles–based saxophonist, educator, and composer whose work bridges classical, jazz, Latin, and contemporary music traditions.
As an orchestral musician, he has performed orchestral saxophone solos with ensembles including the San Francisco Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, and Napa Valley Symphony, and has appeared in programs featuring film scores and orchestral pops repertoire. An active chamber musician, López performs in saxophone quartets including TC4 and the Gold Line Quartet, and collaborates in projects such as a piano trio that reinterprets classical and Romantic repertoire through the sonic palette of the saxophone and a duo performing contemporary works by Latin American composers. As an educator, he serves as Jazz Ensemble Director at the Los Angeles Music and Art School and Musicians at Play, teaches group saxophone and woodwinds classes, maintains a private teaching studio, and regularly adjudicates festivals and presents masterclasses. Dr. López earned his Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Performance from the University of Southern California, with minors in Music Theory, Arts Leadership, and Latin Jazz. He also holds a Master of Music from USC and dual Bachelor of Music degrees in Music Performance and Music Management from the University of the Pacific. |