Our Director

Exploring the intersection of sound, music and the imagination – these are the realms which Tony Funk finds himself in.  After teaching college for nearly two decades, Tony continues to share ideas through his work with singers, conductors and church musicians at conferences, choral workshops and sacred music festivals throughout the world.

In Tony one finds the unique confluence of professional singer, vocal teacher and expert choral director.  Two masters degrees, one in music (University of British Columbia) and the other in theology (Trinity Western University), provide the academic foundation for his work.

Musical ideas have been honed through many experiences including the study of German Lieder in Austria with the late Dr. Eric Werba. While in New York, Tony sang with Alice Parker’s professional choir and after completing a three-week postdoctoral course, was awarded the distinction of Fellow with Melodious Accord. Seventeen seasons with the Vancouver Cantata Singers (five as assistant director to James Fankhauser), and current study with master voice coach Laura Pudwell continue to develop Tony’s voice as a choral singer and soloist.

In 1991 Tony formed the West Coast Mennonite Chamber Choir with Larry Nickel.  The choir has since made thirteen recordings for Communitas (www.communitascare.com), which is an organization that helps those with mental illness and trauma.  The choir holds the unique honor of raising nearly $1,000,000 through CD sales for the work of Communitas.

In 2006 Tony had the privilege of being the first Canadian invited to Australia to work with the National Youth Choir of Australia (NYCA), as well as present lectures for the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) in Brisbane. He was invited to return in 2008 to direct NYCA on their Northern Territories tour, and lead various regional festivals in and around Brisbane for the RSCM.  Tony returned to Brisbane in 2009, where once again he was the first Canadian invited to deliver a plenary address and teach at the RSCM International School for Church Musicians, Brisbane.

When not writing, singing or directing choirs, Tony can be found on his farm (tending goats, sheep, ducks, cattle and doves) with his wife and three sons. You can meet Tony on tonyfunk.blogspot.com.