Howard is a Mus.B (Hons) graduate from the University of Manchester. He also holds LRAM, LTCL and ARCM (Hons) diplomas in piano teaching and performing, as well as horn teaching. He was also a postgraduate pianist at the Royal Northern College of Music, gaining a Diploma in Performance Studies. His piano studies were undertaken the distinguished Russian international teacher, Sulamita Aronovsky. He completed his Performance based MA (Dist) from Salford University, majoring in conducting. This was followed in July 2009 by his subsequent award of ‘Doctor of Musical Arts’ (DMA) from Salford University. As a pianist and conductor he has performed many major concert venues throughout the United Kingdom. He has also made regular visits overseas to Canada and the USA, as well as to Holland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Austria, France and Switzerland.Howard has held posts including the National Bandmaster for the Salvation Army (SA) in the United Kingdom from 1988; Director of Music for the SA in the Netherlands, and conductor of the Amsterdam Staff Band from 2000 through to 2006. He has also served as the Bandmaster of the Boscombe SA Band since 2001. From 2007 - July 2015 he was Director of Classical Performance at the University of Salford.Howard has been in demand as a guest conductor for a number of major UK Bands, including directing a Celebrity Brass Band in the premiere recording of the brass version of Karl Jenkins ‘The Armed Man’; appearing with the Leyland Band at the RNCM Festival of Brass in 2008; directing the Grimethorpe Colliery Band at the Deal Festival in the summer of 2008 as well as at the RNCM Festival of Brass in 2011; and directing at the RNCM Festival of Brass 2010, appearing with the famous Brighouse and Rastrick Band. Since January 2012 he has been the Musical Director for Jaren Hornmussikkforening, an Elite Division Band in Norway.In addition he undertakes work as an examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.Specialties: Conducting, piano performance, teaching and examination within the music profession.