jacques was born in ashby-de-la-zouch, leicestershire and obtained his first degree from oxford university, where he later became organist and fellow of queen's college. dr jacques occupied a succession of increasingly prestigious and influential posts in the music world, based mostly in oxford and london, founding the jacques orchestra in 1936 and conducting the bach choir between 1932 and 1960 and oxford harmonic society between 1923 and 1930.