Sam Carullo
American percussionist Sam Carullo is a passionate performer recognized for his enchanting lyricism and effortless virtuosity. His concerts have been applauded for their intriguing programming, mesmerizing and dazzling interpretations, and execution of the highest order. As a contemporary percussionist and advocate for the creation of new music, Carullo is actively commissioning and working with composers to create new works for percussion. His recent projects in that regard include a piece for solo marimba and electronics by Nathaniel Parks and four new works for percussion quartet by Baltimore based composer’s guild, The CNSNC Collective.
While an active performer in several genres of music, Carullo is most at home in solo and chamber music. As a soloist, Carullo’s concerts take him to libraries and retirement communities just as often as the stage. One of his missions as a performer is to increase accessibility to percussion and can often be found giving free concerts in nontraditional venues. Carullo also serves as one half of Duo Lumiere, a marimba and flute duo with flautist Elizabeth Stern. Together, Carullo and Stern are seeking to redefine the marimba and flute genre with their pairing of breathtaking arrangements of classic repertoire with newer works, including several written for and commissioned by the duo. Carullo has been recognized multiple times as a recital competition winner, concerto competition winner, as well as the grand prize winner of the Great Plains International Marimba Competition - Duo Division in 2019.
Carullo is the Professor of Percussion at Lebanon Valley College, and is in the final phases of his doctoral degree at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where he studies under marimba virtuoso and legendary pedagogue Robert van Sice. He is also pursuing a Masters in Musicology as part of his doctoral studies. He holds his Bachelor’s degree from Belmont University, where he studied with Dr. Christopher Norton, and his Master’s degree from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, studying under Robert van Sice.
