Dr. Howe holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Texas at Austin, an Artist Diploma from the Mozarteum Academy of Music in Salzburg, Austria, and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Colorado. She is active as a performer, teacher, and adjudicator. Dr. Howe has won many prestigious awards, including the coveted ITT/Fulbright award to Austria.
During her years in Austria, Dr. Howe was active as soloist and chamber musician throughout Austria, Germany, and Russia. Dr. Howe has appeared both as soloist and as a collaborative pianist with orchestras and chamber groups alike. She served as principal pianist for the Tempe Symphony from 2000 to 2006. She has appeared as soloist on NPRs program Front, Row, Center.