Howard Watkins received his undergraduate degree from the University of Dayton, and completed his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree at the University of Michigan. Today he is considered one of the leading collaborative pianists, he is also an assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera. He has performed in the United States, South America, Europe, Russia, Israel, and the Far East with Kathleen Battle, Grace Bumbry, Mariusz Kwiecien, Michelle De Young, Natalie Dessay, Diana Damrau, Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazon, Elizabeth Futral, Anthony Dean Griffey, and violinist Sarah Chang.
Mr Watkins serves on the faculty of the Tanglewood Music Center, and he has taught at the Aspen Music Festival, the Banff Centre, Meadowmount School of Music, the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv, Israel, and the VOICExperience in Florida with Sherrill Milnes and Maria Zouves. He is a faculty member of the International Institute of Vocal Arts in Chiari, Italy. Mr. Watkins has taught at the North Carolina School of the Arts in the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute and worked on the music staffs of the Los Angeles Opera, the Washington National Opera, and Palm Beach Opera.