Biography

Robert Charles Howard received his B.S. degree in music from Eastern Michigan University in 1967 and his M.M. degree in Music Composition from Michigan State University in 1970.  He taught Music Theory and conducted the campus Orchestra and Chorale at St. Louis Community College from 1970 until retirement in 2001.  He served as conductor of the Belleville Philharmonic Orchestra and chorale from 1995 until his retirement in June of 2016 at which time he and his wife, Robin moved to beautiful Estes Park.

Many of Howard’s musical compositions include vocal texts. He was recently commissioned to compose a cantata for the Centennial of Rocky Mountain National Park, which was premiered by the Oratorio Society of Estes Park in June of 2015 under the direction of Dr. Kathryn Bowers.  Six of the poems in that cantata, Wilderness Reflections were written by Wendell Berry and three were written by Mr. Howard.