Ko, a native of Taichung, is himself a graduate of NTNU. In 1980 he enrolled at the Berlin University of the Arts 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 for chamber ensemble, The Crying Mermaid for orchestra, the imposing three-movement Dream of the Year 2000 for chorus and orchestra, and Overture to Taiwan's New Century for orchestra. In 2004 three of his major orchestral works—the symphonyDream of the Year 2000, the overture Taiwan's New Century and The Crying Mermaid—were featured in an NTNU tour program entitled Rondo Capriccio. The works were performed by Apo Hsu conducting the NTNU Symphony Orchestra. In 2007 the three works were featured again in the orchestra's American tour program entitled Formosa Dreaming. The works were performed by Apo Hsu conducting the NTNU Symphony Orchestra and Formosa Festival Choir prepared by Huang Tsui-yu. The tour program also featured the music of Taiwan composer Tyzen Hsiao and included four soloists: Hsieh Meng-chieh, Yü Lee, Lin Chung-chi, and Chang Yu-hsin. The premier of Ko's 2-28 Requiem took place soon after, in April 2008. This performance was also by Apo Hsu and the NTNU Symphony, In 2008 Ko observed that "Taiwanese poems are elegant and boast unique intonation." His current interest, he announced, lies in composing "grand works that combine Taiwanese song with Western orchestration" that "integrate the orchestral sonority with Taiwanese native features."
Formosa Dreaming. 1 DVD. Concert given 9 September 2007 by Apo Ching-Hsin Hsu conducting the National Taiwan Normal University Symphony Orchestra and Formosa Festival Chorus. Soprano: Meng-Chieh Hsieh. Alto: Yü Lee. Tenor: Ying-Tung Hsieh. Bass: Yu-Hsin Chang. Venue: San Gabriel Civic Auditorium, Los Angeles, CaliforniaUSA. Repertoire by Ko includes Overture to Taiwan's New Century, The Weeping Mermaid, and Dream of the Year 2000. The program also features music by Tyzen Hsiao. Tyzen Hsiao Music Association with National Taiwan Normal University.
