Funderburk maintains a committed presence in the opera world. He served as pianist and music director of the Metropolitan Opera’s “Rising Stars Concert Series” tour, which presented more than 50 performances, workshops, and masterclasses at renowned universities and concert halls across the U.S. In 2022, he anchored the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s chamber opera Intimate Apparel, based on Lynn Nottage’s iconic play. The production made history as the first opera produced by Lincoln Center Theater and was broadcast nationally on PBS Great Performances. 

In vocal and instrumental recitals, Funderburk has performed in celebrated venues across the country, including Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, National Sawdust, and Symphony Space in New York; Ganz Hall, the Krannert Center, and Chicago Cultural Center in Illinois; and the Arts Club of Washington in DC. Through appearances at Café Sabarsky at New York’s Neue Galerie, the Detroit Institute of Arts, Louisville’s Festival of Faiths, and Stanford University’s Shenson Recital Series, he and his longtime collaborator, mezzo-soprano Naomi O’Connell, have become known for inventive programs that range from classics to cabaret.

An ardent champion of art song, Funderburk has performed at festivals such as Carnegie Hall’s “Marilyn Horne Song Celebration” and “The Song Continues,” Ravinia Steans Music Institute, Music Academy of the West, Art Song Preservation Society of New York, Joy in Singing, Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago, and Brooklyn Art Song Society.

Funderburk is passionate about cultivating the next generation of singers. He holds positions at DePaul University, Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music, Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center, and Schmidt Vocal Institute. Other appointments have included Music Director and Collaborative Pianist of Furman Lyric Theatre at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina and Master Coach at CoOPERAtive, where he inaugurated the program’s Alumni Recital Series in 2017. 

High in demand as an audition, workshop, and competition pianist, Funderburk regularly supports singers from around the world at top companies and festivals, including The Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera Studio, Merola Opera Program, Arizona Opera, Ravinia Festival, Wolf Trap Opera, Aspen Music Festival, and Music Academy of the West. In addition, he has played workshops of new operas at the Center for Contemporary Opera, American Lyric Theater, and Opera Columbus.

The pianist’s growing discography includes complete albums The Lads In Their Hundreds (2017), Wild Cities (2016), Bawd Ballads and Other Songs by Seymour Barab (2015), Francesca Anderegg (2015), and Vincent Millay Cycle (2012), as well as appearances on Mira J. Spektor’s Daytime & Night Songs (2019) The Garden: Songs and Chamber Music of Tom Cipullo (2018) and New American Song @ SongFest (2016). He has been featured on radio broadcasts, such as WQXR’s Classical Beer Jam, Sirius XM’s Symphony Hall, and programs on Chicago’s WFMT and MPR (Minnesota Public Radio).

A South Carolina native, Funderburk holds bachelor’s degrees in music and biology from Wisconsin’s Lawrence University and a master’s from New York’s Juilliard School, where he was a pianist in the Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts. In addition to his performance and teaching schedules, Funderburk maintains a private coaching studio in Chicago.