Composer and guitarist. Bruce Paine commenced studies in performance guitar at the University of Auckland, School of Music in 1990. During this time Bruce became an auditioned Radio New Zealand recording artist. Graduating with an Honours Diploma he went on to successfully gain a place in the semi-finals of the 1995 Shell Darwin International Guitar Competition and in later years toured England, France, Austria, the Czech Republic and New Zealand. In 1999 Bruce commissioned and later premiered the solo guitar suite Pioneer Spirit by New Zealand composer David Hamilton.
In early 2007, shortly after a visit to the South Island's west coast, Bruce began writing his first solo guitar compositions inspired by New Zealand scenery. Shortly after completing the New Zealand Suite for Guitar he was invited to write a short composition to accompany a digital slideshow of underwater images by marine photographer Colin Gans. The piece, entitled Sea Life, was the catalyst for three more pieces to form a suite on the underwater theme. On completion of two more works, Finchdean and The Sea King's Daughter, Bruce premiered his work at a concert for the Classic Guitar Society of Auckland. In early 2008 he recorded his CD entitled Lateral Lines which has been described by New Zealand guitarist Gunter Herbig as ‘a wonderful achievement and a milestone for New Zealand guitar composition’.