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Ma Shui-long

1939 – 2015

Taiwanese composer

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About Ma Shui-long

Lived 1939 – 2015 (aged 75). Ma Shui-long was a Taiwanese composer.

Ma Shui-long (; 17 July 1939 – 2 May 2015) was a Taiwanese composer, whose work is known for blending Western instrumentation with Asian pentatonic melodies.

He was born in Keelung. As a child, Ma was raised in Keelung and Jiufen. He attended a vocational high school in Keelung until his father fell ill. Ma then found work at a factory, where a colleague, , convinced Ma to pursue music. Until the age of 17, and his enrollment at the National Taiwan Junior College of the Arts in 1959, Ma was largely self-taught in music. After graduating in 1964 from what became the National Taiwan University of Arts, Ma became a music teacher and joined the Sunflower Group. He then attended the Regensburg Music Academy in Germany on scholarship. Upon his return to Taiwan in 1971, Ma joined the Soochow University faculty. Ma began teaching at his alma mater in 1981. In 1986, Ma received the Fulbright scholarship and went to the United States. He was awarded a National Award for Arts in 1999 and a National Cultural Award in 2007.

Bernard Holland once praised Ma for "letting his instruments speak in a European voice but with an Asian mind." He is the first Taiwanese composer to have had his work performed at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

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Important facts

Birth century
Died
Occupation
Nationality
Education
National Taiwan University of Arts
Awards
Fulbright Scholarship
Also known as
Ma Shui-Long

People in Ma Shui-long's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Ma Shui-long's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Ma Shui-long?

Taiwanese composer

When was Ma Shui-long born?

Ma Shui-long was born on 17 July 1939 in Keelung.

When did Ma Shui-long die?

Ma Shui-long died on 2 May 2015.

What was Ma Shui-long's occupation?

Ma Shui-long was a composer.

What nationality was Ma Shui-long?

Ma Shui-long was Taiwanese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Ma Shui-long

· Wikidata: Q9011436

· DBpedia: Ma Shui-long

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Ma Shui-long. https://biography.guide/ma-shui-long/

MLA: "Ma Shui-long." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/ma-shui-long/.

Chicago: "Ma Shui-long." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/ma-shui-long/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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