Founded in 1955, the Bath Cantata Group has established a reputation for tackling a wide range of choral music, ancient and modern.

Over the years, the 40-strong choir has performed hundreds of works, from classic sacred standards like Bach, Handel, Haydn and Mozart Masses to larger works by Elgar and Walton. Twentieth century composers such as Benjamin Britten, Gabriel Fauré, John Rutter, Gerald Finzi and Bob Chilcott have featured widely in their programmes.

Performances are supported by professional soloists and a period orchestra made up of older and younger talented musicians from across the UK. 

Music Director

Neil Moore took over from Edna Blackwell as Music Director of BCG in September 2013. 
Neil read music at the University of Glasgow where he conducted the wind band and orchestra. He also set up the now firmly established Music Club Choir, and was President of the Music Society. While in Glasgow, and later in Edinburgh, he sang tenor and countertenor at both cities' St Mary's Cathedrals. 

Following university Neil entered the music world teaching singing and clarinet, and also sang countertenor with the choir of Hereford Cathedral under Geraint Bowen. He has appeared in the internationally acclaimed Three Choirs Festival, made several broadcasts on television and BBC Radio 3, recorded a number of CDs and toured extensively in the USA. He also took a choir to the finals of BBC Choir of the Year in 2008. 

Since coming to Somerset Neil has quickly become actively involved in the musical life, singing with several choirs and directing Bath Cantata Group, Beckington Village Choir, Oakfield Choir, Frome and Wincanton Choral Society. In 2013 he helped establish the professional vocal octet Vox8. Neil is also a company director of Musicians South West CIC in which he plays clarinet and saxophone. 

As a countertenor, Neil has recently performed solos in Handel's The Choice of Hercules and Solomon, and Theodora (Didymus), Purcell's Dido and Aeneas (Sorceress) Handel's Saul (David), Purcell's Ode to St Cecilia, Schütz's Christmas Story, Mozart's Requiem and Vivaldi's Gloria. He's excited to be singing free from tonsils which were successfully removed in his 30s. 

As a clarinettist, Neil regularly plays recitals, and also performs with the professional Mendip Ensemble. In May 2023 he played Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A in Frome. Other works recently played include Beethoven's Septet and Trio, Brahms' Trio and Quartet and Mozart's 'Kegelstatt' Trio.

Past performers and members of Bath Cantata Group have included

Janet Baker, Alfred Deller, Nathalie Dolmetsch, Yehudi Menuhin, John Shirley-Quirk, Michael Tippett.