About Bruce...

Bruce currently serves as the Minister of Music at Christ the King Lutheran Church in New Brighton, MN where he directs the 65 voice Sanctuary Choir, a male chorus, Christ’s Kingsmen, a women’s chorus, Soli Deo Gloria, a chamber ensemble, The Master’s Singers, the contemporary praise team, Celebrate a youth ensemble, “Harmony Singers,” and is involved in planning and supervision of music for all worship services.

A 1970 graduate of Concordia College, Bruce taught at Luverne, MN for 5 years, Wayzata MN for 1 year and finished his 34 year teaching career at Anoka High School in Anoka, MN. Bruce earned his Masters Degree in 1978 from Bemidji State University. Besides his teaching duties, Bruce directed choirs at the United Methodist and Zion Lutheran churches in Anoka, was on the education staff at St. Olaf College for eleven years, directed the South St. Paul Male Chorus for five years and the 3M Male Chorus for nine years. In 1998, he founded , The Two Rivers Chorale,an adult auditioned ensemble. He has been a guest clinician at numerous choral festivals in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Alaska and Virgina, was the director of the Minnesota All State Men’s Choir in 2005-2006, has served as adjudicator for music contests throughout Minnesota and has worked for Gateway Music Festivals and Tours as a contest judge and tour escort. While in the Fargo/Moorhead area, he directed Great Plains Harmony, and led the choir at the Fargo United Methodist Church for one year. Bruce has written a Sight Reading Manual for schools and institutions, a Sight Reading Manual for barbershop choruses, and a Music Mastery Manual designed to help teach music basics in the choral classroom. He has also published two pieces with Kjos Music.

Following his time at Anoka High School, Bruce served three years as Associate Director of Music Organizations at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN where he organized tours for the Concordia Choir, and helped supervise all other concerts and festivals in which the choirs of Concordia College participated.

Bruce was named the Outstanding Music Educator of Minnesota by the National Federation of State High School Associations in 1995 and received the Golden Apple Award from the Ashland Corporation in 1996. Bruce also received the Outstanding Music Educator Award from the Minnesota Music Education Association for the school year 1999-200 for his outstanding efforts and leadership in the classroom and beyond. In 2009, Bruce was inducted into the Minnesota Music Educator’s Hall of Fame.

Bruce has been a regional representative for the Minnesota State High School League, served as Choral Vice President for Minnesota Music Educators Association and has served on the Minnesota ACDA board and is currently a member of MENC and ACDA

Bruce and his wife, Candi, have four children. Stephanie is a St. Olaf grad and currently teaches choral music at Westwood Middle School in Spring Lake Park, MN. She is also music director at St. Philip’s Lutheran Church in Fridley, MN. Tom lives in Coon Rapids with his wife Tara and their two sons, Maxwell and Mitchell and is employed at Sterilmed in Maple Grove, MN. Tracy has earned her Master’s Degree in Theology and the Arts from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA and is currently working at a church in Monrovia, CA. David graduated from Concordia in 2006, is currently singing with Marcoux Corner, and is director of the Anoka United Methodist Church Choir.

Having moved back to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, Bruce founded and directs The Northern Lights Chorale. The group rehearses weekly from September through November and again in January through April with concerts at the end of November and April. Bruce continues to be active in music, is an avid Minnesota Twins fan and has been known to chase a white ball around the golf course.