Faculty
Gary Funk
Dr. Gary Funk is currently enjoying his tenth year as Director of Choral Activities at the University of Montana. He came to the University after teaching for 25 years in Arizona, Ohio and Oregon. He received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Montana, a Master of the Science of Teaching Degree from Portland State University and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Arizona State University.
He currently conducts the University Choir, Chamber Chorale, and Jubileers. He supervises student teachers and provides instruction for students enrolled in Choral Conducting and Choral Methods. He has served as Assistant Conductor of the Helena Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and is conductor of the Butte Symphony Chorus.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities at the University of Montana, Dr. Funk directs The Vienna Experience. This program provides opportunities for 45 participants to live, study and perform in Vienna, Austria, over a period of three months. The program offers courses such as The Art and Architecture of Vienna, The Power of Myth, Vienna History, Ethics and Aesthetics. Since joining the faculty at The University of Montana, Funk has conducted over 70 concerts in Europe.
As an author, he has written a number of articles for The Choral Journal and The Montana Professor including a 2005 article co-authored with Robert Hoyem entitled John Lester: Voice Builder. Funk is also a composer, having composed and arranged over 50 works. Among his credits as composer and arranger, he has written a full-length opera entitled Ruth, a work for choir, orchestra, baritone soloist and Indian drum entitled Requiem for Native America, and created a new edition of Arnold Schönberg's Friede auf Erden. Conducting several vocal master classes a year, he also teaches voice privately to university and high school singers as well as talented community performers from the region.
Dr. Funk is also a tenor soloist, most recently performing Kodaly's Te Deum and Samuel Barber’s Prayers of Kierkegaard with the Missoula Symphony, and Mozart's Coronation Mass with the Butte Symphony in the spring of 2005.
He has adjudicated and served as choral clinician in 10 States.
Contact Dr. Funk: FunkG@mso.umt.edu