Nathan Howe
Nathan Howe is a Colorado composer, educator, and performer. He began writing music when he was ten years old, often changing the songs he was supposed to learn in piano lessons. He began publishing music in 2006 and writes modern classical, pop, choral, hymns, and orchestral music. He teaches vocal and orchestral music in public schools and sings.
Nathan holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from the University of Northern Colorado and a Master Degree in Educational Leadership from Western Governors University. He has been commissioned to compose and arrange for church and community choirs, live stage shows, short films, and university ensembles. His music has also received awards of distinction and merit in the annual music submissions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In a January 2014 interview with Mormon Artist.net, Nathan commented, “Musically, I live a double life. On the one hand, I write serious choral music and art songs in a style that some would call modern classical. On the other hand, I write songs in more pop-inspired styles. The art music world tends to look down on pop styles, and pop consumers don’t generally care for the heavier art music, so I try to straddle the line as diplomatically as I can. I also dabble in orchestral music.” He went on to say that he basically started composing music because he was a lazy sight-reader. As a piano student in elementary school, he found it easier, and preferred, to make up tunes for the songs that he was supposed to be learning than to figure out the notes on the page. By the time he reached middle school, he was writing and composing piano pieces as well as choral music. He continued working on his composing and arranging skills throughout high school, branching out into musical theater and other styles. He said, “Everything I wrote from elementary school through about my first year of college was pretty terrible, but I really needed all of that practice to figure out what I was doing.”
Speaking about music education, Nathan stated, “Music education is important because music is important as a discrete subject. Arts are the way culture is spread and preserved. Our kids are the next generation of creators. Art is like any other language: the more we master the vocabulary, the more we understand about our world. The arts help kids learn how to think—even kids who will not become professional musicians or artists.” He believes that helping kids understand the messages that images and sounds communicate is more important today than it ever has been. He further believes that the arts often reach large groups of students and have more of an impact than some sports programs. His advice to young musicians – those who aspire to achieve a career in music is three-fold: (1) Learn to be patient with yourself. Get comfortable with consistent practice and small, steady progress. (2) Get some lessons. Find a teacher whose approach works well with your learning style. Pick an instrument you love and master it as well as you can. (3) Find a mentor. Look for somebody in your community who is successful in the type of music you love. Nathan also says, “I feel that God expects me to use my gifts to bless other people. Music is one area where different styles and approaches can touch people in different ways.”
Nathan Howe served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Australia Sydney South Mission from 2001–2003. He currently lives in Fort Morgan, Colorado, where he directs choir and orchestra in the local schools. He and his wife Allison have three children.
Follow Nathan Howe
Recent Posts
Latter-day Saint, Yulia Tymochko, Finishes as Runner Up in “Voice of Ukraine” Competition
Yulia Tymochko is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often referred to as “the Mormon Church) from Rivne, Ukraine. Recently the 37-year-old music artist finished as the runner up on season 11 of Ukraine’s national televised competition, Voice...
Mother and Son, Jasmine and Ian Turner, Create Music Together
Jasmine Turner is a mom of eight (seven boys and one girl) and has been involved with music her whole life - as a soloist, choral director, and vocal coach. She put her music aspirations on hold for several years but finally convinced one of her kids to “take their...
Why is Benson Boone No Longer on “American Idol”?
The ever-popular reality television show, American Idol, is currently in its 19th season. This season several members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often referred to as “the Mormon Church”) auditioned for the competition. Eight Latter-day Saint...
Why Latter-day Saint Music Artist Tiffany Houghton Walked Away from the LA Music Scene
Tiffany Houghton was born Tiffany Crystal Houghton on 6 December 1993 in Dallas, Texas, to Steve and Jennifer Houghton. She has four siblings – Steven, Tanner, Sam, and Mckenna. She has had a keen interest in music and singing since childhood. During her childhood and...
Latter-day Saint Sister and Brother, Ammon and Liahona Olayan, Compete on American Idol
The ever-popular reality television program, American Idol, is currently in its 19th season. This season includes several contestants who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly referred to as the “Mormon” church). The eight Latter-day...
The 2021 Youth Music Festival Delivered a Message of Hope and Encouragement
The 2021 Youth theme of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “A Great Work,” is taken from Doctrine and Covenants 64:33-34. The scripture reads, “Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small...