Andrew
Drums
About Andrew
Andrew Funcheon is a drummer, percussionist, composer, and audio engineer working across a broad range of genres. Andrew earned both Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from The Juilliard School, where he studied under Daniel Druckman (Associate Principal Percussion - New York Philharmonic) and Gregory Zuber (Principal Percussion - MET Opera Orchestra).
Since graduating, he has performed with a number of the world's foremost ensembles, such as the New York Philharmonic, The Chamber Orchestra of New York, and The Orchestra Now. He has performed at many world-renowned venues, including Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall, The Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman. Andrew is also an experienced drum set player and has toured much of North America as a drummer and singer with rock/pop bands.
Andrew is also active as a composer and audio engineer. He has composed music and designed sounds for modern dance and film and has written songs for bands and solo artists. He is also an active audio engineer and music producer, working on projects ranging from solo pop artists to professional orchestras and choirs, taking projects from planning through mastering.
Above all, Andrew is a passionate educator and loves sharing his joy for music with others. In addition to his work as a private teacher, he is also an Adjunct Professor of Music at The Pingry School and the Percussion and Ear Training Faculty at the Luzerne Music Center. He works hard to create personalized and specifically tailored plans for each student's goals and desires and is motivated to help students and families exceed their expectations!
Q&A with Andrew
Which musician would you like to play with?
I'd love to play with Jacob Collier!
Which musician has influenced you the most?
Todd Rundgren, Meshuggah, and Bach!
What can you teach me better on your instrument than any other teacher?
My strongest suit is the ability to teach the discipline and craft of being a musician, while imparting the joy and love that keeps us playing. During my musical upbringing, I was lucky enough to be taught by a number of incredible musicians that helped me turn my love for music into a joyful lifelong pursuit!
How did you learn to play your instrument?
I started playing as a young child since my parents are both professional musicians, and my dad is a drummer. After they got me started, I went on to study music and earned my Bachelors and Masters Degrees in music at Juilliard.
What equipment do you play on today?
I play on Gretsch and Yamaha drums, Yamaha timpani, and a Marimba One Marimba.
Which personal trait helped you the most while practicing?
Discipline! Once I started thinking of practicing as part of my daily ritual, it became much easier to build my life around it.
What does your instrument have that others don't?
The percussion instruments are special in so many ways! First and foremost, we play in every genre of music, and get to use full-body coordination to express ourselves. Also, the drums have an incredible dynamic range, from almost inaudibly soft, to loud enough to fill up a concert hall!
How do you handle children?
I love working with kids, and have a lot of experience working with them. First and foremost, I make sure that each student knows that the whole point is having fun, and that it's alright to make some mistakes along the way! That's how you know you're trying. After all, it's called PLAYING music!
What has been your greatest experience as a musician so far?
This is a hard one, but I think it was touring the Middle East with an orchestra a few years ago. Touring is a blast because it combines the fun of travel and seeing new places, with the fun of playing music!
What was the biggest stage you played on?
I've been lucky enough to perform at Carnegie Hall dozens of times with a variety of groups, and every time its been special.
Which record would you take with you to the desert island?
Jeff Buckley - Grace. I've listened all the way through 100s of times, and I will probably listen through 100s more. An all around classic!
Besides music, what else is important in your life?
I love the outdoors, and am a serious runner. When I'm not working, I'm almost definitely out in the mountains running!
Music style(s)
ClassicalRockPopBroadwayMetal
Level(s) Comfortable Teaching
Beginner-Professional
What languages can you teach in?
English
Videos
Bands, Projects, Notable Performances, Collaborations
New York Philharmonic, LA Philharmonic, Chamber Orchestra of New York, Foxanne, Atlas Bloom
Other Music-related work / goals
Release more original compositions, compose music for film/video games
Personal Interests
Trail Running, Nature, History, Geopolitics