A DYNAMIC professional singer who set up a popular Oxford jazz festival has died.

Jean Darke was the driving force between the Jazz at St Giles concert series, which raised over £40,000 for charity and brought some of the world’s finest jazz artists to the city.

As an acclaimed opera singer, Jean had performed around Europe and on cruise ships. She was also an acclaimed music writer and critic and a regular contributor to The Oxford Times and Oxford Mail.

Jean, who lived on Banbury Road, Oxford, was the widow of the award-winning architect Geoffrey Darke.

Jean contracted Covid-19 in October. Although she recovered, the virus led to further complications and she died on March 4, aged 88.

Born in Budleigh Salterton in Devon in 1933 Jean’s family moved to London and she often talked of her childhood in Wembley during bombing raids on the local marshalling yards, either hiding under the stairs or getting to leap down into her neighbour’s garden air-raid shelter. Music was the backbone of her life already, showing a propensity at a young age. Aged 12 and at the cinema during a bomb-raid, she was asked to play the piano to calm the audience.

Secretarial work led her to working in an acoustic laboratory. Her time at the GEC laboratory, in Wembley first, and then in Cambridge, found her performing in a local opera group and elsewhere.

At 22 she met Geoffrey Darke – later to become leading partner in Darbourne & Darke – during a rehearsal for The Mikado.

Despite her husband’s stellar career in the area of innovative public housing, they continued to share a love of music, alongside raising their three children.

While living in Richmond, they spent much time in Aldeburgh in Suffolk – home of the established music festival. The family were encouraged to take part.

Jean worked for BBC Radio 3 and the Royal College of Art and also made a career as a performer, travelling the country and further afield, including Finland.

Returning to education, she received an ARCM in singing from the Royal College of Music and then embarked on an Open University degree in Music.

Jean and Geoff moved to Oxford in 2005 and immersed themselves in local music.

Geoff died in 2011.

Jean Darke

Jean Darke

The following year Jean launched the Jazz at St Giles series as both a fundraiser and a platform for visiting international and local jazz artists. Beneficiaries included the charities War Child, Save the Children, and the ex-servicemen and women’s charity Combat Stress.

It also raised funds for St Giles Church and its musical work with young people.

Oxford Times features editor Tim Hughes paid tribute to Jean, saying: “Jean was an intellectual powerhouse. She was passionate about music and performance, but more than anything, she cared about people. Jean grasped life with both hands and made things happen. She was a dynamic woman but also deeply compassionate and everybody loved and respected her. She leaves an incredible legacy and will never be replaced.”

She is survived by her children Liz, Chris and Sarah.