“I remember someone coming up after the concert and wanting my autograph. But then they were starting to say all sorts of stuff to me about Burnside [High School in Christchurch], and I thought, how do they know about that?
“It was just wild to me that someone would talk to me about stuff that was so personal to me that I’d never shared with them. And that’s when it started to sort of sink in. Okay, this is a big deal. You’ve got to remind yourself of where you’ve come from to keep yourself grounded because it can be a pretty wild job at times.”
From Christchurch to the world, it’s been 13 years of globetrotting for Bruerton, who is based in Oxford, Britain, as the Singers spend about seven months on the road at a time.
Big choral music names such as Eric Whitacre and Bob Chilcott are now friends and colleagues (“I remember asking Eric’s permission to have his piece This Marriage sung at my wedding”), and he’s recorded chart-topping albums and performed across six continents with the talented team.
His humble nature and his committed work ethic speak to his Canterbury upbringing, of which Bruerton is eternally grateful for.
Through countless Evensongs and Choral Eucharists, he followed the footsteps of his big brother at the prestigious Canterbury Choral School and proceeded to take every choral singing opportunity he could.
“When I was about 5, I’d go to Sunday school with my mum and dad, and my brother would sing in the choir at church. I wanted to do what my big brother did,” he says.
“An opportunity came up at Christmas in 1994 to attend the Nine Lessons and Carols service, and I sat there mesmerised when hearing these beautiful voices, and I remember whispering to mum and dad, ‘I want to do that’. So I badgered them all summer and they eventually gave way and approached the choir and said I would like to audition. The rest, as they say, is history. I just absolutely loved singing basically every day.”
That passion for the craft turned into studying and eventually teaching at Burnside High School, with its specialist music programme setting the tone for what was to come.
“I was really clear that I wanted music to be front and centre of everything I did. And I felt that at that time, Burnside stood alone. I had the most wonderful five years as a student and then I just had to come back and help out.”
Then came a choice: stay in New Zealand to teach or take a risk and head overseas to follow his singing dreams.
Bruerton was in a long-distance relationship with his girlfriend (now wife) Liz, who was in Britain. He ended up buying a one-way ticket.
“I always thought, I don’t want to be a teacher that has a slight chip on their shoulder because they never quite did the thing that they were telling all their kids to do – to follow their heart. I thought, look, I love teaching, but if I don’t go now, I’ll always wonder what if? If it doesn’t quite work out, then I’ll happily continue my teaching career, but I knew I would’ve at least had a crack at it.”
He’d soon be swapping Christchurch for Christ Church, Oxford, where, after a few years, an out-of-the-blue email to audition for the King’s Singers arrived.
He became the first non-British member to join during the group’s more than 50-year history.
“When they offered me the job, I don’t think I quite realised just how much my life would change from being that little teacher in New Zealand. It’s been quite the journey.”
That journey, while full of life-changing experiences, is still no easy task. Life on the road comes with “a lot of suitcase packing and unpacking and washing and living out of hotels”.
“There is a reality to it. It’s hard to be away from those you love, and you feel like you’re permanently dealing with jet lag sometimes. But what you try to do is find the joys in all the places that you go to. That might be through food, through the different cultural aspects of a place, the architecture, and all of those sorts of things,” Bruerton says.
“Something I have to remind myself of is that we get clapped for our day job, and there are far more deserving people I feel that should be applauded for the work that they do every day. We are very lucky to do what we do.”
Bruerton describes his fellow singers as his whānau, with plenty of wonderful memories made together. While careful not to throw any of them under the bus, he says there have been plenty of laughs and moments of note.
“We’re very inquisitive singers as well. We love getting out and about and seeing where we are. We like putting on our jogging shoes and going for a run around Central Park or wherever we find ourselves. There are lots of places to explore, and there are lots of wonderful experiences that come with the job, and we get treated beautifully wherever we go.”
He’s looking forward to coming home to Canterbury on this latest (and last) tour. It reminds him of the performance spaces that were lost during the 2011 February earthquakes, in particular Christchurch Cathedral, where he performed many times.
“It was a real hub and lifeblood for the centre of town, and it’s such a shame that it’s no longer. It’s very sad to think of the place that gave me my big start, really. I wouldn’t be here without the 15 years I had there.”
Fond memories also emerge of singing in the nearby Catholic Basilica, another casualty of the quakes.
“That had a stunning set of acoustics. I remember each year we would do a joint service with the Catholic Cathedral Choir. And we would always look forward to it and we were very jealous of the space that they got to sing in every day. It was a very special place.”
Bruerton is especially excited to perform in the revamped Town Hall on his final Kiwi tour with the singers.
“It’s just so wicked to know that it’s been restored to its former glory, and it hasn’t lost any of the charm and the acoustic quality. I’m super excited to perform there.”
As for what’s after his final hurrah, nothing is set in stone. But he hopes to return to teaching and helping many talented Kiwis chase their dreams on the world stage.
“I’ll be coming back to New Zealand to visit my brother, his wife and my two beautiful nephews, as well as seeing all my other family and friends. If there’s a chance to work with some of the people in the choral community in New Zealand, I’d love that, but also in England, you know, I have a lovely home in Oxford and there’s a lot of choral opportunities in Oxford,” Bruerton says.
“In a funny way, I always thought my dream job was to sing and travel the world. I didn’t know what that would look like, but I knew it would be something like that. I’ve ticked off my dream job and now it’s time to help others achieve theirs.”
And if he were to sum up his King’s Singers career in one word?
“Gratitude. I’m that little Kiwi kid from Christchurch who’s been able to live his dream. And I’m just truly grateful.”
The King’s Singers will perform their show Close Harmony at the Aotearoa NZ Festival of the Arts, March 10, 2026, at Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. Tickets are available at festival.nz. They will also perform at the Christchurch Town Hall on March 11, 2026, with tickets available at Eventfinda.
