Drummer Anthony Fung, a native of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, is a graduate of St. Michael’s College School where he performed in the Senior Drumline, Jazz Combo, Jazz Big Band, Wind Orchestra, and in the pit orchestra for musical theater. Anthony has additionally studied jazz improvisation with Juno Award-winning saxophonist, Kirk MacDonald at Humber College. In recent years, he was selected to be a member of the Toronto’s Jazz FM 91.1 Youth Big Band; the Conference of Independent Schools’ Music Festival Jazz Big Band; and the National Honour Jazz Combo. Anthony was additionally been awarded “Yamaha’s Most Outstanding Combo Drummer Award” from MusicFest Canada, and was one of the two high school drummers selected to participate in the prestigious Berklee College of Music Summer Jazz Workshop, where he studied with Terri Lyne Carrington and performed with trombonist Phil Wilson and his Rainbow Big band. Anthony has additionally studied with artists such as Michael Beauclerc, Joaquin Nunez Hidalgo, Frank Botos, Ari Hoenig, and Dennis Mackrel, and also teaches drums locally at Musaic School of Music. In the fall of 2011, Anthony will be attending the Berklee College of Music

Next Generation Jazz Orchestra performances on the tour will include Carmel, California (Carmel Bach Festival, July 24), where they will appear with tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano; San Francisco (Yoshi’s, July 25); Seattle (Jazz Alley, July 26-27), Port Townsend, Washington (Centrum Jazz Festival, July 29-30); Monmouth, Oregon, (Mel Brown Jazz Camp, July 31); San Diego (The Neurosciences Institute, with special guest trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos, August 1); and Los Angeles (Vitello’s Jazz Club, August 2). The Next Generation Jazz Orchestra will also make their traditional Sunday appearance at the 54th Monterey Jazz Festival on September 18, 2011, with former band alumni and Artist-In-Residence Joshua Redman, Benny Green and Donny McCaslin sitting as special guests.
The NGJO press release from 5/16 can be viewed here: http://www.montereyjazzfestival.org/2011/press/051611

Information about this year’s members can be found here: http://www.montereyjazzfestival.org/2011/NGJO