Richard J. Rulli, trumpet, holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (DMA), Ithaca College, New York (MM), and the University of Northern Colorado (BM/BME). At the University of Arkansas, Dr. Rulli teaches trumpet, brass chamber music, conducts the trumpet ensemble and performs as a founding member of the Boston Mountain Brassworks, the UA faculty brass quintet in residence.  In addition, Dr. Rulli serves as Principal Trumpet of the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.  

Dr. Rulli has been a featured performer and clinician internationally at conventions of the International Trumpet Guild (ITG) and International Brass Festival, and nationally at the College Band Directors National Association Southern Division Convention, as well as the state conventions of the Georgia and Wisconsin Music Educators Association. At the 2006 ITG Conference, Dr. Rulli was the trumpet soloist in the world premiers of two works for trumpet and choir, where the concert reviewer described his playing as "masterful, lyric, sensitive and imaginative."

He has performed as a member of the Arkansas Symphony (Little Rock), North Arkansas Symphony, Columbus Brass, Wisconsin Brass Quintet, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Madison Symphony Orchestra, and Madison Opera. Dr. Rulli has held teaching positions at Columbus State University, Georgia, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and Ithaca College, New York.

Formerly, Dr. Rulli was the Principal Trumpet and Trumpet Soloist of the Air Force Band of the Golden West and First Trumpet of Five Star Brass. During his Air Force tenure, he performed for numerous U.S. and foreign heads of state and was a regularly featured performer at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Center for Public Affairs. Among those performances was the library's internationally televised grand opening ceremony and the presentations of the Ronald Reagan Freedom Award to Secretary of State Colin Powell and former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. He has performed with Arturo Sandoval, Bob Hope, Jimmy Stewart, Rosemary Clooney, Barbara Eden, Charlton Heston, and many other entertainment personalities. Several Air Force recordings to his credit include Center Stage with guest artist Arturo Sandoval and We Are America, a patriotic recording with the Native American operatic tenor White Eagle where Dr. Rulli was featured performing Aaron Copland's Lincoln Portrait.

Most recently, Dr. Rulli recorded Sonata for Trumpet and Wind Ensemble by Kent Kennan with the CSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble in a live performance at the College Band Directors National Association, Southern Division Conference on Vestige Records. Other recordings of note include, with the Wisconsin Brass Quintet, major new works for brass quintet on a CD titled Images, released on Mark Records; and with the Madison Opera Menotti's The Globolinks, on Newport Classics.

Dr. Rulli's dissertation explored the little known world of Hollywood trumpet playing through interviews with eight of the top trumpeters in the business. He is an active recitalist and chamber musician, and in demand for performances and master classes regionally and nationally. Dr. Rulli has studied trumpet with John Aley, Malcolm McNab, Donald Green, Anthony Plog, Kim Dunnick, Frank Campos, William Pfund, and Daniel Kuehn.