Then, under the influence and encouragement of Japanese modern nationalists Akira Ifukube and Fumio Hayasaka, as well as senior Taiwanese musicians such as Chiang Wen-yeh, Kuo decided to major in composition under Meiro Sugahara.
後來受到日本現代民族學派伊福部昭、早 2 文雄，以及台籍音樂前輩江文也等人的影響和鼓勵，決定專攻作曲，並隨作曲家菅原明朗學習。