In March 1961, when I was pianist for the Columbia University Chorus, I had the pleasure of working with composer Robert Starer on one of his stirring choral works (Kohelet). It was some years later that Starer composed the poetic elegy Yizkor (Remembrance) in memory of Naomi Robison (Paula Robison's mother), which Paula and I premiered at Woodstock, NY (8/5/1990). The piece then consisted only of the one movement. For the Spoleto Charleston premiere, Paula asked Starer to add a second movement, Anima Aeterna (Eternal Life). According to the Charleston Metro/State (5/25/1991), "Starer...was present to offer a short explanation of his writing of the scores (the second one getting its world premiere)." On the title page of the Southern Music Company publication of the work in 1992, Starer generously inscribed "To Kenneth Cooper with thanks for a superb premiere". Starer once said (in a 3/21/1987 interview) that he expects the public to "listen to [my music] and give it the kind of attention that I think people should give music; that they should try to hear what I'm doing. There is an anecdote about Beethoven, who played a piece and then somebody said to him, 'Now would you tell me what your piece is all about?' and he sat down and played it again."