Edward Cross writes: I first encountered Richard Hickox (obituary, Nov 25) “live” when, as a member of the audience, I sat spellbound through his 2006 St Endellion performance at Truro Cathedral of The Dream of Gerontius, making that familiar work come up gleaming like new. So as one of the nation’s army of amateur choral singers I welcomed any opportunity to sing under him. One came in March this year with the Bach Choir. In the Sydney Opera House he spectacularly re-created Vaughan Williams’s idiosyncratic Pilgrim’s Progress in concert.

The rehearsals alone were memorable for his warmth of character and technical skill. Meeting him briefly afterwards to thank him, I found him remarkably approachable, friendly and responsive. An eagerly awaited second opportunity came last month with Belshazzar’s Feast at St Paul’s Cathedral. His great clarity of direction, deep musical insights, warmth of character and technical mastery of huge forces in that extraordinary acoustic again brought the music up like new and made it a performance for at least one amateur singer always to remember.

Warwick Hood writes: Richard Hickox was instrumental in ensuring the survival of the London Symphony Chorus in the early years of its independence. After the dismissal of its chorus master in 1975, the LSO Chorus (later LSC) was cast adrift, with just the promise of four LSO concerts in 1976 and nothing thereafter. The future seemed bleak, but soon after Richard’s appointment as chorus master and musical director of the LSC in early 1976, he negotiated additional engagements both from the LSO and from other orchestras and, despite severe financial constraints, arranged a number of concerts which he conducted himself. Although at 27 he was beginning to make a name for himself at a national level, this did not diminish the energy and commitment that he put into the less glamorous role of the chorus master preparing singers for other conductors. Largely as a result of his unflagging energy, the chorus secured more than 20 engagements in 1977 and never looked back.

Kate Booth writes: Richard Hickox’s first involvement with a festival was in 1967 when he founded the Wooburn Festival in Buckinghamshire to raise money for repairs to the church where his father was vicar.

The festival is still going strong and Richard would return to conduct the final concert whenever possible. It was always a great pleasure to see such a courteous and friendly person who never forgot his roots. He had the most phenomenal memory for names and faces and, even if several years had elapsed, would always know exactly who he was talking to and what had been happening in their lives.