叶小钢是我国自己培养的新一代音乐家，是我国目前最有影响的青年作曲家之一。出身于音乐世家，四岁起随父新叶纯之学习钢琴，中学毕业后下放至农场劳动，后又进工厂当钳工六年。一九七八年以优异成绩考入中央音乐学院作曲系，师从著名作曲家杜鸣心教授。一九八一年首次举行个人作品音乐会。一九八二年《中国之诗》获美国齐乐品协会作品比赛第一名。一九八三年《第一小提琴协奏曲》获中央音乐学院作曲奖，该曲被认为是“当代知青文艺的代表作”。

一九八四年，我国在改革开放后首次派出叶小钢作为中国青年作曲家的代表出席在澳州举行的亚太地区艺术节及作曲家大会，并在当地首演了新作《新江月》，获得成功，使中国当代音乐创作开始受到世界的注目。

一九八五年中国音协及中国唱片公司为叶小钢举行了交响作品音乐会，首演了《老人故事》、《八匹马》、《地平线》等五部交响乐，获得极太成功。一九八六年，叶小钢受文化部委托为日本驻华大使中方代表共同创作该舞剧的音乐，在东京及北京的演出均获得成功。同时，叶小钢

开始涉足其他音乐领域，其中，为电影《湘女潇潇》、《死神、老人与少女》（此二片均在国际上获奖），话剧《赵氏孤儿》及电视剧、室内的音乐创作受到了广泛的好评。

一九八七年，叶小钢获美国伊斯曼音乐院奖学金赴美留学，师从美国著名作曲家S．Adler和J．Schwantner，至此他开始接受世界各地的扫约及参加各类型的国际性艺术活动，并写了众多的作品。其中，三部大型舞剧《DA LAI VI》、《红雪》、《When the Dream Fades》；室内乐《Threnldy》、《Strophe》、《Tripidus》、《Ballade》、《三迭》、《和》；交响作品《The Last Parardise》、《Winter ll》、《释伽之沉默》、《一个中国人在纽约》；大型中乐作品《The silence of the Red Poppy》、《The Far Calls》、《沅歌》、《死之蚀》等。这作品分别首演于加拿大、美国、日本、台湾、新西兰、英国、香港、芬兰等地，受到各国传媒的高度评价。

从1989年起，叶小钢被列入英国剑桥出版的国际名人录和国际音乐名人录。
1990年，《悲歌》获美国伊斯曼“路易斯．兰”奖。
1991年，《喜玛拉雅之崩溃》获美国“哈沃德．汉森”奖。
1992年，《伽叶无语》获台湾省交响乐团首届作曲大奖，并荣获台湾省教育厅荣誉证书。
1993年，《地平线》被先入中化民族文化促进会的“二十世纪华人音乐经典”。
1994年，叶小钢荣获美国LI基金会颁发的学术成就奖，以表彰他对新音乐探索的努力及鼓励他到中国大陆继续从事创作和研究活动。

叶小钢是美国伊斯曼音乐院的硕士，纽约州立大学博士研究生，目前他暂时离开该校从事专业创作，并受香港市政局委约，创作大型作品《最后的乐园II》。　

Regarded as one of the most leading and influential Young composer in China today,Ye Xiaogang studied piano at age of four .During the Culturai Revolution,he ax a fitter in a paper mill for six Years. After this period, he was admitted to the Department of Composition of the Central Conservatory of Music of China in 1978 and study composition with Prof . Du Minsin. He also attended a special composition courses directed by British composer , prof.

Alexander Gorhr in 1981.He gained a B.A.degreein 1983.After graduation, he was a appointed resident composer and lecturer at the Department of composition, central conservatory of Music of China, it was acclaimed as “a representative work of contemporary young intellectuals”. At the same year, his “The Song of the New Moon “ for Zheng and Orchestra has been released by Hong Kong Records Co., Ltd.

In 1984, representing young Chinese composers, Ye attended the Asia Pacific Art Festival and Composers Conference in New Zealand, where his “The Moon Over the West River” was premiered by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. In 1985, sponsored by the Chinese Musician’s Association and the China Recording Company, the concert of symphonic works by Ye Xiaogang was held in Beijing, winning great success. In 1986, representing Chinese musician, he has appointed by the Cultural Ministry Affairs of China went to Japan ambassador in Beijing and the Japanese artists.

In 1987,he received a full scholarship from the Eastman School of Music in the U.S. to further his studies in composition with Dr. S. Adler and Dr. J. Schwantner , and further received numerous national and international commissions , among these included ”Da Lai VI”, “The Snow Is Red” ,”When the Dream Fades”(dance drama),”The Silence of Sakyamuni”,”A Chinese In New York” and “The Erosion of Death”(Symphonic work),”Wa” for Nihon Ongaku Shudan,”The Silence of the Red Poppy” for the Performing Arts of Urban Council of Hong Kong , ”the Far Calls” for the Taipei Municipal Chinese Orchestra ,”Winter” for the Taiwan Symphony Orchestra , and other Commissions from the Japan Dance Star Ballet Co., Ltd. And the Hong Kong Dance Company. His music has been played in United States, Canada, Japan, Finland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Great Britain, and New Zealand.

In 1990 and 1991,his “Threnody” and “The Ruin of the Himalaya” won the Louis Lane Prize and Howard Hanson Prize while he in the Eastman. In 1992, his symphonic work ”The Silence of the Sakyamuni ” won a grand prize in the First Orchestral Composition Competition held by Taiwan Symphony Orchestra and a Merit Certificate presented by the Department of Education of Taiwan. In 1993 ,his “Horizon” was selected as “A 20th Century Chinese Music Master piece”. In 1994,Mr.Ye received “Heritage Prize for Excellence In Creative Activity in Music” from the LI Foundation of San Francisco, USA.

Mr. Ye Hold a Master Degree of the Eastman School of Music of University of Rochester. Currently he is live in Pittsburgh for devoting his primary energy to composition. Now he is working on a large production “The Last Paradise II” which is commissioned by the Hong Kong Urban Art Service.