The idea started at post-concert drinks with friends, lamenting that Bach wrote nearly 300 cantatas, and although over 200 of these are available today, the vast majority are rarely, if ever, performed in Australia. We sought to remedy this by assembling some of the country’s best and most passionate early-instrument specialists, who meet every two months to rehearse and publicly perform two cantatas on the day at a different church in Sydney.

A cantata is a composition for solo vocalists, choir, and instrumentalists. The meaning of the term has changed over time, but it became prominent in its use in the liturgy of church services. The word cantata comes from the Italian cantare, meaning "to sing." It usually consists of arias, recitatives, choruses, chorales, and occasionally instrumental sinfonias. Throughout Bach’s life as a church musician, he was expected to compose a new cantata for each weekly service. These works showcase a wide range of musical styles and demonstrate Bach’s mastery of choral and instrumental writing.

Since launching in 2023, the Cantata Project has performed eighteen of JS Bach’s cantatas, including the Ascension Oratorio, Coffee Cantata, as well as two cantatas by Dieterich Buxtehude, Miserere in C minor by Jan Dismas Zelenka and the Magnificat in D by CPE Bach. All concerts are performed on period instruments, and in 2025, we are presenting six concerts at churches around Sydney, including St Martin’s Anglican Church Killara (Living Hope Anglican) and St Stephen’s Newtown.

We look forward to seeing you at our next concert as we continue to explore the wonders of Bach’s cantatas.