Obituary: Steve Osborn, music festival organiser

Steve Osborn, who has died at 65, was a tireless organiser of music festivals in Sheffield, and also ran a number of initiatives to bring music education to children.

As director of the Valley Music Festival, which is in its third year, he worked closely with those in the city’s Fox Valley to provide funds for music lessons in schools and to award scholarships for a year’s worth of music lessons for disadvantaged youngsters.

Since 2001 he and his wife of 43 years, singing teacher Hilary Osborn, had also run the voluntary organisation Inyerface Arts, and Mr Osborn had coordinated music exams for the London College of Music in Sheffield and Chesterfield.

Originally from Oxfordshire, he and Hilary moved to Sheffield in 1981 and never wanted to go back, said his family.

“I think it was my mum’s drive that inspired him,” said their daughter, Charlotte. “She had to fight for her music education because her parents didn’t agree with or believe in music, so she put herself through singing lessons as a child.”

Besides Hilary and Charlotte, Mr Osborn is survived by daughter Kate and four grandchildren.