Ko Fan-long

Ko Fan-long (Chinese: 柯芳隆, born 1947) is one of Taiwan's leading composers. He is a professor of composition at the National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) in Taipei. (Ko's family name is pronounced "Kuh", as in the English word cup.)

Life and career

Ko, a native of Taichung, is himself a graduate of NTNU. In 1980 he enrolled at the Berlin University of the Arts (Germany) where he studied composition with F. M. Beyer. He joined the NTNU faculty upon his return to Taiwan in 1985. In 2002 he received Taiwan's prestigious Wan San-Lien Music Award. From 2004 to 2008 he served as chair of the NTNU Department of Music.

Ko's compositions display a cosmopolitan blend of European and Asian timbres and techniques. He often calls upon performers to switch concepts within a single piece, sounding first like an instrument from nineteenth-century Austria and the next like an instrument from ancient Tibet. Compositions by Ko that have drawn particular acclaim include the Quintet II (1992) for chamber ensemble, The Crying Mermaid (1993) for orchestra, the imposing three-movement Dream of the Year 2000 for chorus and orchestra, and Overture to Taiwan's New Century (2003) for orchestra.