為探究傑出作曲家在作曲領域的創作歷程，本研究乃邀請十位曾因作曲榮獲世界性或全國性獎項、創造具時代性與歷史地位的音樂風潮，或因音樂作品迅速傳播成名，獲得社會大眾高度肯定與讚賞之華人傑出作曲家為研究參與者，經由深度訪談傑出作曲家本人及二十三位重要他人，再輔以訪談日誌與非干擾性測量資料等方式進行多重個案研究，探索當代傑出作曲家之真實生活脈絡，旨在瞭解傑出作曲家於作曲領域的創作歷程。研究發現傑出作曲家的樂曲創作歷程是具循環性的，依序為〝經驗～醞釀音源、原創性強〞、〝靈感～感性得來、理性整理〞、〝創作～組合素材、逐步構築〞、〝完成～自我突破、再創高峰〞與〝驗證～呈現樂曲、持續創作〞等五個過程。每首新樂曲的誕生都是依恃傑出作曲家的創作意識與自我決定，於該些過程中完成，並具有以下幾項特點：1.有次序性的；2.有循環性的；3.沒有時間限制；4.沒有起點限制；5.沒有終點限制。

Musical composition is the presentation of a composer's inner creative conceptualizing. While abstract ideas regarding music are organized and concretized through rational, logical thinking, the personal sensibilities and inner thoughts of the composer are also embodied and conveyed; a composer's unique and original musical language is thereby created. This study explored the underlying context of the life of ten contemporary eminent composers, the aim being to understand the creative progress of musical composition. The discussion also covers how the composers continually make creative breakthroughs by challenging themselves, as well as the performers and listeners involved, through musical composition, while creating new musical trends. Methods: repetitionThe research participants of this study are ten eminent Chinese composers; they have either been honored with international or national awards, created musical trends of great historical significance, or become renowned overnight for their compositions. In addition to in-depth interviews with these eminent composers and 23 other significant people in the field, the study was conducted through multiple case studies, and employed interview notes and data elicited from unobtrusive measures. More than 400 pieces of data, all using unobtrusive measures, were collected from biographies, documentaries, personal works, studies, dissertations and theses, and media reports related to the participants, and were coded, input, categorized, and analyzed to attempt to explicate the creative progress of musical composition. Results: The composers studied here defy regulation; for them, everything can become a source for the creation of new sound. Through diverse creative methods and composition techniques, they combine varied musical elements in creating a unique style. Such a hybridized synthesis is the very essence of musical composition. The research result shows that music composition is a continuous process and a series of breakthroughs. The creative progress of musical composition of eminent composers is cyclical, comprising five main stages: “experience–cultivation of sounds and strong originality”; “inspiration - stemming from sensibility and organized by the senses”; “creation - organizing materials and constructing them step by step”; “accomplishment-personal breakthroughs and reaching new peaks”; and “test and verify-presenting the musical piece.” The creation of every new musical composition relies on the composer's free creative consciousness and is completed within stages which feature sequential; cyclical progression; timelessness; no fixed starting point; and no fixed terminal point. Conclusions/Implications: For the ten composers participating in this study, each piece of music can be regarded as the basis for the next work, whatever the motivation, material or inspirational source of the sounds. Creative progress is based on continuous breakthroughs from previous works. Again and again, a new piece transcends the previous one and suggests the advent of a new creative peak. To bring the works to perfection, “test and verify” is an indispensable step in the cyclical process of musical composition as it constitutes a step that merges with another cycle. Eminent composers believe that the next work will be better; with countless cycles of musical creative processes, they lay the foundation for future achievements.