作曲家高約拿(1917-19 8)雖然鮮為人知，他可能是繼江文也、李志傳之後，率先以西洋作曲手法寫有管絃樂作品的台灣作曲家。他出生於高雄縣阿蓮鄉中路村的一個虔誠的基督徒家庭，孩提時代在母親的聖詩歌聲中長大，於台灣基督長老教會創辦的長老教中學(今長榮中學)、台南神學校(今台南神學院)受教育，畢業後於東港與阿蓮基督長老教會擔任傳道師。19 0年負笈東瀛，於東京就讀日本神學校與東京音樂學校的選科(選修作曲與管風琴)。戰後回國擔任北一女中音樂教師，並且指揮雙連基督長老教會的聖歌隊、於廣播電台主持音樂節目，以及與朋友們合開音樂會等。終其一生，他都離不開長老教會教育機構和教會。他以音樂服務教會與社會為使命；而其作品，除了自然流露的愛鄉之情外，更顯示出他對神的頌讚與祈求。他一生敬神愛人，辛勤耕耘音樂，其信仰就具現在音樂中。

Although Ko Iok-na (1917-1948) is little known in Taiwan, he was,perhaps, the third composer in Taiwan to compose orchestral works, following his predecessors, Chiang Wen-ye and Lee Zhichuan.Iok-na was born to a Christian family in Kaohsiung County. Due to this background,hymns were the music he most often listened to during his childhood. Moreover, most of the schools he entered were founded by the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan: the Presbyterian Middle School (the predecessor of Chang Jung Senior High School) and Tainan Theological School (currently known as Tainan Theological College and Seminary). After briefly working at Tongkang and Alian Churches as a Christian preacher, he traveled to Tokyo in 1940 and studied at Japan Theological School (nowadays known as Tokyo Union Theological Seminary). Besides,he attended courses in organ and composition at Tokyo Music School (renamed Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music) in order to become a music missionary. When he came back from Japan in 1946 and became the music teacher of the Taiwan Provincial Taipei First Girls’ High School (renamed Taipei Municipal First Girls’ Senior High School), he devoted himself to music for comforting people and praising the Lord. His works reveal his emotions, attachment to his homeland, prayerfulness and love of the Lord. By surveying his life and music, the author, one of Iok-na’s nieces, argues that Christianity had significantly been an important part in his life and embodied in his music.