Joseph Ortuso has appeared as soloist for ABC Concerts and ABC FM throughout his career, he was featured in an ABC television production demonstrating various aspects of the Oboe and performing the Bellini Oboe concerto in E flat with Barry Tuckwell. Highlights of Joseph Ortuso's career as a soloist include appearances at the 1984 Adelaide Festival of the Arts. In the 1988 ABC subscription series, he appeared as soloist with the renowned Polish conductor Jerzy Maksymiuk. As a guest artist, he performed with The Tasmanian Chamber Orchestra for Musica Viva series, The Adelaide chamber Orchestra and The Unitas ensemble. Amongst many of the world renowned artists which he played with some are; John Williams (guitar), Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano), Heny Shering (violin), Nigel Kennedy (violin).

Joseph Ortuso has made numerous recordings for ABC FM that includes The IDILIO by W. Ferrari with Claudio Schimone of I Solisti Veneti and The Floral Clock for Oboe and Orchestra by J. Francaix released on ABC label disk.

Since 1975 Joseph Ortuso has been lecturer in Oboe at the University of Tasmania Conservatorium of Music. On numerous occasions, during this period, he has directed chamber music classes and concerts. In 1977 he became a member of the artistic body of the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra. As a guest lecturer, he has worked at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and for the past few years has been lecturing on a regular basis at the Northern Territory University School of Music. In 1999 was Artistic Director and Conductor of the Hobart Chamber Orchestra for three years.

Throughout his career, Joseph Ortuso has toured extensively to Australia’s regional and major centres, Europe, Asia, South America and North America and Canada.  He is currently engaged by the Tasmanian University Conservatorium of Music's 'Australian International Summer Orchestra Institute' as a member of the selection panel and orchestral woodwind tutor.