Our Director, Duane Funderburk
Duane Funderburk began his musical studies in the Pacific Northwest studying with Marcile Mack at Seattle Pacific University and Randolph Hokanson at the University of Washington. While in Seattle he performed with cellist Carter Enyeart and violist Alan Iglitzen, both members of the Philadelphia String Quartet. Summer studies included the Aspen Music Festival and the Tanglewood Institute where he studied with Bela Nagy, Samuel Lipman, Ruth Laredo and Edith Oppens.
Dr. Funderburk holds a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from Seattle Pacific University, a Master of Music degree in piano performance from Boston University, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern California in collaborative piano. While in Boston he won first place in the Aaron Richmond Piano Competition, performed live on Boston Public Radio, as well as giving recitals at the Gardner Museum, Worcester Art Museum and Goethe Institute. International orchestral performances include appearances with the Berlin Chamber Orchestra, the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Panevezys Chamber Orchestra in Lithuania. He has performed as soloist in Cairo and Alexandria Egypt, and has performed in Seoul, Korea with the touring Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra from Ukraine. As duo recitalist with violinist Alex Russell, he performed at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and The Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China, as well as appearances in Sweden, Australia, Singapore, Korea, Ukraine, Armenia, Canada, as well as numerous venues in the United States.
Some of Dr. Funderburk's works for violin and piano based on hymn melodies will be published in 2010 by MorningStar Music. As an arranger and conductor, he has produced numerous albums for instrumental and vocal artists, including Jane Thorngren of the New York City Opera and baritone Simon Estes of the Metropolitan Opera Company.
Dr. Funderburk holds a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from Seattle Pacific University, a Master of Music degree in piano performance from Boston University, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern California in collaborative piano. While in Boston he won first place in the Aaron Richmond Piano Competition, performed live on Boston Public Radio, as well as giving recitals at the Gardner Museum, Worcester Art Museum and Goethe Institute. International orchestral performances include appearances with the Berlin Chamber Orchestra, the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Panevezys Chamber Orchestra in Lithuania. He has performed as soloist in Cairo and Alexandria Egypt, and has performed in Seoul, Korea with the touring Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra from Ukraine. As duo recitalist with violinist Alex Russell, he performed at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and The Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China, as well as appearances in Sweden, Australia, Singapore, Korea, Ukraine, Armenia, Canada, as well as numerous venues in the United States.
Some of Dr. Funderburk's works for violin and piano based on hymn melodies will be published in 2010 by MorningStar Music. As an arranger and conductor, he has produced numerous albums for instrumental and vocal artists, including Jane Thorngren of the New York City Opera and baritone Simon Estes of the Metropolitan Opera Company.
Our Guest Conductor, Nickolas Caoile
Nikolas Caoile is Music Director and Conductor of the Wenatchee Valley Symphony Orchestra and Director of Orchestral Activities at Central Washington University. The CWU orchestras have grown and flourished under Caoile’s guidance. Consistently winning invitations to perform at WMEA and other conferences, CWU orchestras have gained recognition as some of the finest collegiate programs in the Northwest. A passionate believer in music education for all ages, Caoile has conducted numerous educational and community engagement concerts. In October 2009, Caoile made his New York City debut conducting the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas in collaboration with Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company.
In the past year, Caoile has made several guest conducting appearances including the Alaska All-State Orchestra in November 2010 and the Rainier Symphony Orchestra in February 2011. Caoile continues to be a featured presenter as part of the Seattle Symphony Talk Music series. Since 2010, Caoile has collaborated with several popular rock groups including Queensrÿche, John Popper, Heart, Yes, and Tracy Bonham as the music Director for the inaugural concert for Synergia Northwest – an annual event benefiting music education in Washington State.
Future engagements include appearances with the Yakima Symphony Orchestra (December 2011), the Indiana All-State Symphony Orchestra (January 2012), and the Salem Chamber Orchestra (March 2012). Caoile is a popular guest conductor and clinician with youth orchestras, collegiate ensembles, and high school honor orchestras. He has appeared with Olympia Symphony Orchestra, Gig Harbor Symphony, Seattle Youth Symphony, and the Portland Youth Philharmonic. Also an accomplished pianist, Caoile is a frequent recitalist performing throughout Washington State and the Northwest. He has performed with the Third Angle New Music Ensemble. He is also a faculty member of the Kairos Chamber Music Lyceum, Chamber Music Madness, and the Icicle Creek Music Center Summer Symphony.
Caoile also thrives in the opera repertoire. He has served on the music staff of the Aspen Opera Theater Center as a Coach Accompanist Fellow preparing many operas including: Rigoletto, The Cunning Little Vixen, Die Entführung auf dem Serail, The Turn of the Screw, and Giasone. He has served as an accompanist with the Seattle Opera assisting in productions of Eugene Onegin and Norma and has worked with the Seattle Opera Young Artists on productions of Gianni Schicchi and Eugene Onegin, He was a coach pianist and chorus master for the Bel Canto Vocal Institute in Portland, Oregon where he prepared L’elisir d’amore and Fidelio. He was harpsichordist in performances of L’incoronazione di Poppea, Giasone, and Calisto. Caoile has also served as conductor of many main-stage productions. He has led performances of Così fan Tutte, Il Matrimonio Segretto, Gianni Schicchi, The Bartered Bride, and Dido and Aeneas. He assisted Martin Katz in the University of Michigan production of Hänsel and Gretel. His teachers include Martin Katz, Phil Kelsey, David McDade, and Kenneth Merrill.
Nikolas Caoile is a native of Portland, Oregon and now resides in Ellensburg, Washington with his wife, mezzo-soprano, Melissa Schiel and their son, Kieran.
In the past year, Caoile has made several guest conducting appearances including the Alaska All-State Orchestra in November 2010 and the Rainier Symphony Orchestra in February 2011. Caoile continues to be a featured presenter as part of the Seattle Symphony Talk Music series. Since 2010, Caoile has collaborated with several popular rock groups including Queensrÿche, John Popper, Heart, Yes, and Tracy Bonham as the music Director for the inaugural concert for Synergia Northwest – an annual event benefiting music education in Washington State.
Future engagements include appearances with the Yakima Symphony Orchestra (December 2011), the Indiana All-State Symphony Orchestra (January 2012), and the Salem Chamber Orchestra (March 2012). Caoile is a popular guest conductor and clinician with youth orchestras, collegiate ensembles, and high school honor orchestras. He has appeared with Olympia Symphony Orchestra, Gig Harbor Symphony, Seattle Youth Symphony, and the Portland Youth Philharmonic. Also an accomplished pianist, Caoile is a frequent recitalist performing throughout Washington State and the Northwest. He has performed with the Third Angle New Music Ensemble. He is also a faculty member of the Kairos Chamber Music Lyceum, Chamber Music Madness, and the Icicle Creek Music Center Summer Symphony.
Caoile also thrives in the opera repertoire. He has served on the music staff of the Aspen Opera Theater Center as a Coach Accompanist Fellow preparing many operas including: Rigoletto, The Cunning Little Vixen, Die Entführung auf dem Serail, The Turn of the Screw, and Giasone. He has served as an accompanist with the Seattle Opera assisting in productions of Eugene Onegin and Norma and has worked with the Seattle Opera Young Artists on productions of Gianni Schicchi and Eugene Onegin, He was a coach pianist and chorus master for the Bel Canto Vocal Institute in Portland, Oregon where he prepared L’elisir d’amore and Fidelio. He was harpsichordist in performances of L’incoronazione di Poppea, Giasone, and Calisto. Caoile has also served as conductor of many main-stage productions. He has led performances of Così fan Tutte, Il Matrimonio Segretto, Gianni Schicchi, The Bartered Bride, and Dido and Aeneas. He assisted Martin Katz in the University of Michigan production of Hänsel and Gretel. His teachers include Martin Katz, Phil Kelsey, David McDade, and Kenneth Merrill.
Nikolas Caoile is a native of Portland, Oregon and now resides in Ellensburg, Washington with his wife, mezzo-soprano, Melissa Schiel and their son, Kieran.