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It took a while for Chris Bruerton to break the news to the rest of the band – maybe a couple of years.
The fact that he was still loving the job didn’t help, but eventually Chris Bruerton told the rest of The King’s Singers he wanted to leave arguably the world’s best-known and best-loved choir.
However, before he goes, the Kiwi-born baritone is making one final tour with the group – back home.
The King’s Singers have two New Zealand dates this month, one as part of the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts in Wellington on 10 March, and one the following day in his home town Christchurch.
Speaking to RNZ Concert host Bryan Crump, Bruerton says he wanted to leave the group while he was still at the peak of his singing powers.
He won’t miss spending so much time away from his partner, but he will miss the highs he got from performing.
As well as spending more time at home, Bruerton hopes to be able to spend more time in Christchurch and maybe expand his skills into choral conducting.
Bruerton was the first New Zealander – in fact, the first singer from outside the UK –Â to join The King’s Singers.
But given the standard of choral music in Aotearoa, he’s confident he won’t be the last Kiwi to attain a cappella royalty.
Chris Bruerton (second from the right) and the lads.Â
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