Seven years ago I could have never guessed where this crazy little side quest would take me. The idea that Rustic would turn into an actual business, that I would end up sending instruments all over the world and get to travel around the country to go to conventions and hang out with you all, didn’t even seem like a possibility. Yet, here we are! Thank you for the continued support 💜
#RusticPercussion
Please help me in welcoming @kylepaoletti_music to the Rustic Percussion Artist roster!
Kyle W. Paoletti (b. 1999) is a distinguished percussionist, educator, and composer from Sterling Heights, Michigan. A multi-award-winning artist, Kyle holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Percussion Performance from Oakland University, where he studied under Professor Dan Maslanka and Dr. Justin Lamb. During his undergraduate studies, he led and organized a nationwide tour with the award-winning percussion septet The Magnificent 7, performing in several states and participating in various competitions. In addition, Kyle had the honor of performing the U.S. orchestral premiere of John Psathas’ timpani concerto: Planet Damnation. In 2023, Kyle’s duet, Kyii Duo, was selected to perform for Ivan Trevino at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) after releasing a 10-year anniversary recording of Catching Shadows.
Following his Bachelor’s degree, Kyle found passion in music education as the Director of Percussion at multiple schools, as well as Assistant Band Director at Rochester Adams High School, where he led four percussion ensembles to state division championships.In May 2024, he partnered with MarimbaOne and Malletech to organize the inaugural Rochester Day of Percussion, an event that featured local high schools and esteemed guest clinicians. That same year, Kyle was nominated for the Rochester Community Schools Foundation Excellence in Education Award.
Currently, Kyle is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Percussion Performance at the University of Nebraska-Omaha under the mentorship of Dr. Hannah Weaver. He is currently focusing on his research of the impact that visual elements have on audience engagement during live music, a project in which he was awarded “Best Graduate Performance” at the 17th Annual UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair. In his free time, Kyle enjoys long hikes and spending time with his two favorite people in the world, his cats Cali and Idée!
