On his first solo tour of Japan in 1985, 'Pipers' Magazine hailed Jeffrey Funderburk as the next international tuba virtuoso and his subsequent career has fullfilled much of this prediction. As a performer, recording artist and teacher, Funderburk established a career and performance style that has been described as eclectic. His recordings include three solo tuba CDs ("Passages", "Journeys" and "Romantic Connections"), euphonium soloist with the wind orchestra of the "Franz Liszt" Music Academy in Budapest, Hungary (premier recording of Frigyes Hidas' "Euphoniada"), and two CDs as a member of "Symphonia", a professional tuba and euphonium ensemble.

Funderburk has performed with such orchestras as the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Michigan Opera Theatre and the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra under such noted conductors as Charles Dutoit, Mstislav Rostropovich and Günther Herbig. From 1989 to 2010, Funderburk served as principal tuba of the Cedar Rapids Symphony. As a chamber musician, Funderburk has performed extensively as a recitalist and as a member of the Detroit Brass Society, the Northern Brass Quintet , the Cedar Rapids Symphony Brass Quintet and the Südtiroler Blechbläser Ensemble (Italy). In 1983, Jeffrey won the TUBA International Solo Competition.

Professor Funderburk has appeared in many international conferences including the Internationale de Cuivres de la Communauté, Belgium; Cheju Brass Festival, Korea; the Hungarian National Trombone and Tuba Conference; the US Army Band Tuba Conference, Washington, DC.; German Brass Academy, Krefeld, Germany; the International TUBA Conference, Sapporo, Japan; and conferences in Cincinnatti, Ohio; Greensboro,North Carolina; Long Beach, California; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Odensa, Denmark; and Chicago, Illinois.

Funderburk holds a Masters and Doctor of Music from the University of Illinois and currently is Professor for Tuba and Euphonium at the University of Northern Iowa. In 1999-2002 he was also associated with the Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik in Trossingen Germany. His international leadership role in the world of tuba and euphonium was confirmed by his election as the President (1995-1997) of International Tuba and Euphonium Association (ITEA) (formerly TUBA), the international professional organization. He is a passionate supporter of new music for the tuba and euphonium with over 25 works written for him. Dr. Funderburk has authored numerous articles for music magazines and was an Assistant Editor of "The Tuba Source Book", published by Indiana University Press and contributor to the newer "Guide to Tuba Repertoire" also published by Indiana University Press.