[2] He began his undergraduate music studies in 1988 at the University of Nottingham, where his composition tutors included Jim Fulkerson and Nicholas Sackman.
He continued at the Royal College of Music from 1991 to 1993, where he obtained a master's degree in Composition, studying with Timothy Salter and George Benjamin.
His work is performed by musicians from around the world, including soprano Dawn Upshaw, klezmer pioneer Giora Feidman and the St. Lawrence String Quartet.
Upshaw was the soloist in a new song-cycle with ensemble, The North Wind was a Woman, commissioned for the Gala opening of the 2009 season by the Chamber Music Society of the Lincoln Center.
He wrote Caja de Musica for Concert Artists Guild Winner Bridget Kibbey's Carnegie Hall debut.
[11][12][13][14] In the 2013/14 season Bruce was Associate Composer of the San Diego Symphony, for whom he wrote three pieces, including Night Parade for the orchestra's highly anticipated Carnegie Hall debut in October 2013; and the violin concerto Fragile Light for Gil Shaham for 2014.
[17] Starting in November 2017, he began to upload educational videos about different aspects of music, usually focusing on traditional western Classical music, but also exploring other genres and traditions, and initiated collaborative composition projects with fellow YouTubers such as Adam Neely, Ben Levin, Martin Keary and Nahre Sol.