Senior Airman Joseph Rulli joined the United States Air Force Academy Band, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, in March 2018. He currently performs as a saxophonist with the Falconaires, Concert Band, and Marching Band.
Prior to joining the Air Force, SrA Rulli was active as a freelance saxophonist and music teacher in Washington, D.C., and led his own jazz trio that performed extensively throughout the region. In 2016 SrA Rulli formed the saxophone duo, NYX, an ensemble committed to commissioning new music and promoting chamber music performance and pedagogy in grade school music programs. In addition, he has appeared with the Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, Columbia Civic Orchestra, and Odyssey Chamber Music Series, as well as conference performances at the North American Saxophone Alliance, U.S. Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium, and Jazz Education Network. Finally, as an alto saxophonist with the critically-acclaimed University of Missouri Concert Jazz Band, SrA Rulli performed and recorded with Sean Jones, Jimmy Greene, Randy Brecker, Byron Stripling, MeShell Ndegeocello, Bobby Watson, and Mike Mainieri.
SrA Rulli earned a dual Master of Music degree in Saxophone Performance and Jazz Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Missouri in 2016. He also graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arkansas in 2013 with a Bachelor of Music degree and minor in English. SrA Rulli is from Fayetteville, AR, and his primary teachers include Andrew Layton, Leo Saguiguit, Arthur White, Richard Salonen, and Stanley Morris.
EDUCATION:
2013 – Bachelor of Music, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
2016 – Master of Music, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO