Hilary Davan Wetton writes: Sir John Dankworth (obituary, 8 February) was much more than an honorific vice-president of the Milton Keynes City Orchestra (MKCO), which I conducted from 1975 to 2007. From its earliest days, he was a staunch supporter, both in public and in private.

He appeared as soloist with us on a number of occasions, wrote music for us, solicited help on our behalf and attended MKCO concerts on his rare free evenings. He regularly invited the orchestra to perform in the garden and theatre at his music centre, the Stables, and was the prime mover in organising collaborations with Cleo Laine in Kurt Weill's Seven Deadly Sins and several performances of William Walton's Façade.

Always quick to recognise and encourage young talent, John saw the need for a thriving cultural dimension in Milton Keynes. He also believed in the elimination of artificial labels in music. His Wavendon Allmusic courses attracted students and teachers from all genres – and, in the case of the students, with a wide range of abilities. John treated everyone with equal care and courtesy; he was wholly unselfish when it came to giving time to his students.

• John Dankworth
• Classical music