Clare Howard has loved music for as long as she can remember. Growing up on the East Side of St. Paul, she attended an arts-focused elementary school where she explored a wide range of different instruments and spent years peppering band directors with every theory question she could think of. Music was always her passion but without access to private lessons, much of what she learned, she taught herself.

Clare came to Saint Paul College at sixteen through the PSEO program while still a student at Twin Cities Academy. She completed 60 credits, mostly general education courses, and earned her associates degree just days before graduating high school. But SPC gave her something she hadn’t been able to find anywhere else: private voice lessons with music educator Michael Olsen. For someone who had been long hungry for formal music instruction, finally having a private teacher meant everything. Olsen encouraged her to take musical risks and discover her own voice.

That combination-being challenged while also being welcomed-is something SPC is known for. It’s the supportive environment that makes a real difference for students of every background. Clare felt pushed academically and musically, but always in a space where she felt safe to grow.

After SPC, Clare attended the University of St. Thomas, where she studied music composition. The foundation she built at SPC gave her the confidence and freedom to fully explore this field.

Today, Clare Howard is a professional composer. She writes music for wind ensembles, is published through Murphy Music Press, and distributes through J.W. Pepper. Her work has been performed in Greece, and across the country. Her newest piece, Force of Nature, will debut at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in March 2026.

One of her most meaningful compositions, Over the Blue and Green, began after a visit to the Kennedy Space Center, where she spoke with astronauts about what Earth looks like from space. Inspired, she wrote a piece about protecting life and seeing the world with care. In 2025, following the

Annunciation Catholic Church shooting, the Minnesota Symphonic Winds dedicated their performance of this work to victims of violence. At that event, Clare spoke about music as a way to reflect, heal, and remember.

Outside of composing, Clare paints, produces music, creates prints, and is always exploring new creative avenues. Her big dream is to write a piece for the Minnesota Orchestra at Orchestra Hall.

But it all started with a foundation. SPC gave Clare the space, access, and challenge she needed to build a life in music. It’s what the college does: it meets people where they are and gives them a true starting point. Clare turned hers into a career writing the music she’s been hearing in her head since she was a kid.