As a conductor, director and choreographer, Markus Howard has worked extensively in the arts throughout Canada and abroad. He has appeared in 27 countries, working with musicians of varying ages, cultures and experiences. A conductor, educator, adjudicator and private teacher, Markus works in many musical genres including opera, musical theatre, pop and jazz voice. His students have included members of the Stratford and Shaw Festivals, Toronto’s Lion King, Mamma Mia, Billy Elliott, The Producers, and Jersey Boys, and a number of Broadway and National Touring companies. His talents have been recognized by Yamaha Music Canada, The Swedish Ministry of Culture, the Ontario Arts Council and the International Association of Jazz Educators. Markus Howard was a candidate finalist for the 2008/2009 Leslie Bell Prize for Choral Conducting.
Mr. Howard was on the faculty of the Royal Conservatory of Music, Glenn Gould School for 7 years teaching Choral Studies, Advanced Sight Singing, and Stage Craft for the Opera Division. For the Young Artist Performance Academy, he was the founding conductor of the Academy Choir. In the College Program at the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, Markus lectured theory and history courses, directed shows, founded the choral division, and was a studio teacher in both the music and dance faculties. Markus served as Lead Teacher in the Children’s Program for 7 years. At the University of Toronto, he directed the award winning Hart House Jazz Choir, Onoscatopoeia for 5 seasons, producing the group’s second album, and leading them to the semi-finals of the International Competition for Collegiate A cappella. Markus is currently the Artistic Director of the La Jeunesse Youth Choirs and the Oriana Singers in Cobourg, the Massey College Choirs, and works as the Lead Artist Educator for the Canadian Opera Company.
Mr. Howard has appeared as a chorister with the Stuttgart Kammerchor (Germany), the European Octet (Sweden), the World Chamber Choir (Belgium), and numerous Canadian professional choirs. He is the founding conductor of the professional chamber choir, La Movida, his proudest accomplishment to date. Markus represented UNESCO as an ambassador of Arts and Goodwill from 1996-1999, and continues to share his skills with aspiring artists at home and abroad.
