ABSTRACT
Sound and Silence has had a long-lasting and continuing influence on the way in which music education in the classroom is conceived of and acted out. However, John Paynter’s work in music education encompassed not just writing about music education but also work as a composer, pedagogue, workshop leader and academic supervisor. In this section we hear testaments from ten music educators from a range of music education backgrounds about the importance of John Paynter to their professional lives. Some write of the influence of Sound and Silence on them as young music educators at the time of its publication and of the challenges and excitement of putting his ideas into practice. Others focus more on their personal interactions with him as a colleague or academic supervisor. While all recognise his inspirational qualities and his influences on their careers, they engage critically with his work and do not lose sight of the complexities of Paynter as a human being.
