It is a rare and wonderful thing to have as a colleague someone whom you have known for much of your life and with whom you share so many interests. You don't have to explain who you are or why you have a particular attitude. Sometimes in such cases there are emotions of envy or rivalry, but in our case that was never an issue. Given the generally anti-intellectual climate in contemporary American music, it was a relief to both of us to have a colleague who was both a composer and a theorist, who saw these two activities as complementary and enhancing of the creative spirit. We worked harmoniously together to revitalize Columbia's programs in composition and theory and to build an atmosphere of open dialogue. Throughout he was a rock of steadiness, rationality, and good counsel. He acted always for the benefit of the greater whole. And he was a supportive and extremely diligent teacher and mentor of countless students in theory and composition. Indeed, this is one of his important legacies. It is hard to imagine life at Columbia without him.     New York City, 6/6/04     1  2  3   previous