Bill Funderburk – Trumpet and Low Brass (Faculty Member Since 2013):  William “Bill” Funderburk brings a wealth of experience to the Music Academy of Western North Carolina. With an undergraduate degree in Classical Trumpet Performance from the NC School of the Arts, Bill was a student of Raymond Mase, who flew down from Julliard once a week to teach a trumpet studio of 6 students.  His Master’s Degree is in Classical Trumpet Performance from Yale University.  A two-time attendee to the Aspen Music Festival and Eastern Music Festivals, Bill has also attended the SC Governors School of the Arts and Brevard Music Center. Performance experience ranges from studio recording in Charlotte, to live improvisation monthly at BoBo Gallery in Asheville, to supporting master classes in Los Angeles, to classical work, including Winston-Salem Symphony, Greensboro Symphony, Greenville Symphony, Charlotte Concert Band, Low Country Winds and Piedmont Triad Wind Symphony.