Learning from a King's Singer
29 Sept 2026
Singers in Otago and Southland gained a fascinating insight into the world of professional vocal ensembles last month when former King's Singer Chris Bruerton presented two highly successful regional workshops in Te Waipounamu.
Drawing on his 14 years with the internationally renowned British a cappella ensemble The King's Singers, as well as his extensive teaching experience, Chris led The King's Singers Playbook, an engaging and practical exploration of the techniques, musicianship and mindset behind world-class ensemble singing.
34 singers attended the workshop at Knox Presbyterian Church in Dunedin, with a further 46 participants at Southland Girls' High School in Invercargill. Throughout the sessions, Chris shared practical exercises and strategies for blending voices, learning music effectively, communicating with an audience and performing with confidence. Alongside the hands-on learning were plenty of entertaining stories from life on the road with The King's Singers and valuable insights into the realities of a professional singing career.
Participants consistently praised Chris's warmth, enthusiasm and generosity. Many commented on how much they learned in a single afternoon and how eager they were to apply the ideas in their own rehearsals and performances.
Among the key lessons they took away were:
- · Ears are the most important part of singing – use them constantly
- · Turn up on time, be prepared and be likeable.
- · Be open to trying new things.
- · Graffiti your music with notes and reminders
- · Practice sight-reading and learn all the other vocal parts.
Feedback from participants highlighted both Chris's expertise and his ability to create a supportive learning environment:
“Loved learning ways to introduce colour and different tonal qualities to voices using imagery and adjectives to produce the emotional landscape”
“Great to be pushed out of our comfort zones, but in a kind & supportive way. Great tips to take back to school and use in the classroom."
"Over my long life, I have worked with outstanding conductors in UK, USA and Aotearoa - this Workshop was right up there with the best."
The overwhelming consensus was that Chris was an outstanding presenter and that a single afternoon simply wasn't long enough.
Our thanks go to Chris for sharing his expertise so generously, and to regional coordinators Anna MacKenzie (Otago) and Sarah Rae (Southland), together with their volunteer teams, whose hard work helped make both workshops such a success.
Regional Workshops coming up (click on the title for more information and to register)
* Saturday 10 October – Manawatū-Whanganui (Marton) - Sing music from Tinā! with Igelese Ete
* Sunday 15 November – Canterbury-West Coast (Christchurch) – Sing music from Tinā! with Igelese Ete and David Squire
* Saturday 5 December – Hawke’s Bay (Napier) - Viagra for Voice with Judy Bellingham