Hwang Yau-tai Truly Chinese Music /黃友棣─中國音樂中國化
A Bodhisattva of music
Hwang Yau-tai, the great master of music, first visited to Kaohsiung in 1983. Special Contribution Honor was granted to Professor Hwang, Lin Sheng-shih and Wei Han-chang by National Culture and Arts Award. While receiving the award in Kaohsiung on June, he also gave a speech and composed the song "Praising Kaohsiung".
When retiring at the age of 76, Professor Hwang moved from Hong Kong to Kaohsiung. Since then he has assisted various musical groups. From children to adults, private choruses to school, whoever turning to Professor Hwang has never been disappointed. At this stage, Professor Hwang is like a Bodhisattva of Music, being warmly welcomed at wherever he is.
Grow out of difficulty
Born at Gao-yao County, Guang-zhou Province in 1912, Professor Hwang learned very hard although his family's situation grew increasingly worse since his father's death. When September 18th Incident took place in 1931, Hwang was shaken and determined to use music as a tool of education. After graduating from Department of Education at National Sun Yat-sen University, Professor Hwang immediately devoted himself to music education and the war. He composed several applied songs, including "My Home's in Canton", "Azalea", "Song of the Moon" and so on.
Due to the war, Professor Hwang moved to Hong Kong in 1949, taught in De-ming Secondary School and then at Chu-hai College. In 1952, Professor Hwang's work, "Coming Home", won Composition Award of Patriotic Song granted by the Chinese Writers' and Artists' Association. He was also invited to Taiwan to perform for the first time. In 1955, Professor Hwang obtained violin teacher certificate from Royal Academy of Music. Representative works of this period includes "Black fog", "Soft smile", "Love for Mother country" and so forth.
Truly Chinese music
In an attempt to reach the goal of "Truly Chinese Music", Professor Hwang went to do further research at National Music College in Rome. Both Professor Franco Margola and Professor Edgardo Carducci were his teachers. His dissertation was completed in 1962, and his work "Praising the Republic of China" won the Culture and Arts Award by the Ministry of Education. After Obtaining a diploma at Rome Domer Music College in the following year, Professor Hwang went back to teach at Chu-hai College.
Because Professor Hwang constantly cooperated with Lin Sheng-shih and Wei Han-chang, they were nicknamed as "three friends in chilly winter" (which are pine, bamboo and plum blossom, for compared with other plants, they are still exuberant during winter).
Glorious history
Since 1975, Professor Hwang has started to publish several books to fully state his concepts in music education. In 1985, Kaohsiung City Government held an exhibition of Hwang Yau-tai's music. Professor Hwang came to Kaohsiung in person to give a lecture on music. In 1994, Professor Hwang was granted the Culture Medal by the Executive Yuan and received by former president Lee Teng-hui. In 1997, Kaohsiung City Government awarded Professor Hwang Special Contribution Honor in the field of Culture and Art. A even greater honor, the 19th Lifetime Achievement Award granted by Kaohsiung City Government also went to Professor Hwang in 2000.
From youth to old age, Professor Hwang has been diligent in composing, writing, and teaching. After such a long time of difficulty and training, his works now bear fruition. As he always says, "life is a battle of keen competition, a willing sacrifice for people." Professor Hwang is indeed a paragon of virtue.
音樂菩薩在高雄
國際音樂大師黃友棣與高雄結緣開始於1983年，當年，黃友棣、林聲翕、韋瀚章三人同獲國家文藝獎頒發特別貢獻獎，六月間返國領獎並至高雄演講，為高雄創作「高雄禮讚」。從此和高雄締結良緣。
1987年，七十六歲的黃友棣教授退休，從香港移居高雄，全力推動樂教，從幼童到成年人，從民間合唱團到各級學校，從本土民謠到佛曲，凡向大師索曲或要求指導的人都不曾落空。晚年的黃友棣，更像音樂菩薩，莊嚴美好，人情練達，所到之處，無不受到禮遇和熱烈歡迎。
苦難中自學有成
黃友棣先生，1912年出生於廣東高要縣，二歲喪父，家道中落，以苦學精神完成自我教育。1931年，發生九一八事變，抗日歌聲傳遍全國，也使黃友棣先生立志以音樂作為教育工具，開始習作樂曲，並於大學四年內苦練鋼琴及小提琴。1934年畢業於國立中山大學教育系後，即投入抗戰宣傳服務工作，足跡深入廣東省各縣市鄉鎮，以小提琴演奏為主，一面教唱抗戰歌曲，一面進行音樂教育，並編作各種應用歌曲。此段時期的代表作有：歸不得故鄉、杜鵑花、木蘭辭、我家在廣州、月光曲等。其中尤以「杜鵑花」一曲最為膾炙人口。
1945年抗戰結束，黃友棣先生重返廣州，任教於中山大學及省立藝專音樂科。
1949年，赤禍蔓延，遷居香港，先後執教於私立德明中學及珠海書院。1952年黃友棣教授以「我要歸故鄉」大合唱曲獲文協獎，首度應邀來台。1955年，黃友棣教授考取英國皇家音樂學院提琴教師文憑，此時期代表作有：黑霧、輕笑、當晚霞滿天、秋夕、寒夜、北風、祖國戀等。
創作中國化音樂
為了達成「中國音樂中國化」的目標，1957年，黃友棣教授以四十六歲高齡，遠赴羅馬「取經」，先後拜師馬各拉、卡爾都棋等大師，五十一歲那年，完成論文「中國風格和聲與作曲」、「中國民歌和聲」及各類樂曲。同年並以「中華民國讚」獲教育部文藝獎。翌年，獲羅馬滿德藝術學院作曲文憑，返港繼續執教珠海書院。
為了實踐論文，返港後，黃教授的創作展現新貌，除了先後創作獨唱曲「陌上花」、「離恨」、「秋花秋蝶」、「燕詩」、「遺忘」、「思我故鄉」、「美哉台灣」等，也編舞劇曲集「大禹治水」、「採蓮女」、四樂章大合唱「歲寒三友」、「琵琶行」（合唱、朗誦、鋼琴詠唱曲）、「偉大的中華」(十一樂章大合唱)等。其中「偉大的中華」獲1967年中山文藝獎章。這段時期，黃友棣與林聲翕、韋瀚章三人密切合作，故有「歲寒三友」之美稱。
為了完整闡述自己的樂教理念，1975年起，黃友棣教授出版了第一部樂教文集「音樂人生」（東大出版），直到1998年止，東大出版社陸續出版了「琴台碎語」、「樂林蓽露」、「樂谷鳴泉」、「樂韻飄香」、「樂圃長春」、「樂府新聲」、「樂苑春回」、「樂風泱泱」、「樂境花開」、「樂浦珠還」、「樂海無涯」、「樂教流芳」等十三部著作。
獲獎紀錄無數
1985、1986年，高雄市政府辦「黃友棣樂展」，黃教授偕同林聲翕、韋瀚章再度蒞臨高雄，主持音樂講座，作「高雄素描」、「寶島溫情」等曲，充分流露出大師對高雄情有獨鍾。
1994年，黃教授獲頒行政院最高文化獎章，蒙前總統李登輝召見。1997年又獲高雄市政府頒發「特殊優良文化貢獻獎」，2000年再獲高雄市文藝獎頒贈「終身成就獎」，種種殊榮，實至名歸。
從青年時期起，黃友棣先生就與苦難的中國大眾站在一起，跋山涉水，為樂教到處奔波，為眾人所需而譜曲。安貧樂道，不計名利，且慨然提攜後進。樂教，是他一生不二的職志；為此，他勤奮作曲著述，從弱冠到年老，始終如一。他常說：「人生是一場激烈的戰鬥，也是一場心甘情願的犧牲」，他為樂教奮鬥，也甘為樂教犧牲小我，黃友棣先生的風骨節操足為典範。