An hour-long concert showcasing his compositions was held before the award ceremony at Taipei National University of the Arts, where "Bamboo Flute Concerto," one of Ma's most highly regarded pieces, was performed. A multimedia exhibition was arranged to display his works at the university's Creative Resource Center for Traditional Arts.
During the award ceremony, Su thanked Ma for the contribution he made in enriching Taiwan's culture through music and education. In his acknowledgement speech, Ma said the award should be dedicated to all those who worked diligently in the field of arts and culture but did not receive public recognition.
Born in 1939 in Keelung, Ma studied music theory and composition at National Taiwan College of Arts--forerunner of National Taiwan University of Arts--where he graduated in 1964. He went to Germany for further study in 1972 at the College of Catholic Church Music and Music Education in Regensburg, graduating with distinction in 1975. His various compositions include those for orchestra, chamber ensemble and chorus. They have been performed in over 20 countries around the world.
In 1987, Ma was the first Taiwanese composer to conduct concerts at New York's Lincoln Center. Critic Bernard Holland wrote in The New York Times March 23, 1987 that Ma's pieces were composed in a way that let "his instruments speak in a European voice but with an Asian mind."
In addition to composing, Ma helped found the Department of Music at National Institute of the Arts--now TNUA--and became its first director in 1982. He later became president of the university and held important positions in various cultural organizations and foundations. After being responsible for administrative affairs at those posts for almost two decades, Ma retired in 2002 to concentrate on composing music.
While at the university, he brought traditional Eastern music and arts courses into the music department's curriculum, where Western composition theory typically dominated, according to an April 25 Council for Cultural Affairs press release. Speaking at the event, CCA Minister Chiu Kun-liang lauded Ma as an artist who created "music that makes people see." His compositions, often evoking his homeland and its people, won acclaim both at home and abroad, Chiu said in the press release. He added that Ma had commanded support from almost all members of the final review committee, which, by law, is made up of nine to 17 cultural professionals and operates independently.
Ma is currently working on a piece for orchestra and male chorus, with a Jade Mountain theme and incorporating elements of aboriginal music from the Tsou and Bunun, two of Taiwan's 13 indigenous groups. The work is expected to premiere in late 2007, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported April 25.
Since its establishment in 1981, the annual Executive Yuan Cultural Award has become one of Taiwan's major art awards. There are one to five winners each year, and 57 people have received the award since its inception. While prestigious, the award was considered to include more celebrities than unrecognized artists among its winners. It regained its profile in recent years, however, having gradually addressed this imbalance.
Write to June Tsai at june@mail.gio.gov.tw