One of the most impressive things about John Paynter was that he was an excellent teacher; not flashy or showy, but quietly unassuming. Numerous friends and colleagues have commented on how he could walk into a classroom of children or adults and with a few quiet words get them all concentrating on making music together and thinking hard about what they were doing. This certainly inspired me to become a teacher, although it took me many years to learn how to direct and organise with apparently such small interventions. He could pick a few apt words and create a perfect environment for working.