James Hamilton Howe (November 14, 1856, – April 12, 1934) was an American pianist, composer, conductor, and academic.

[7] Howe's program was recreated by piano professors Glen Sherman, Claude Cymerman, and Lorna Griffitt for the celebration of the School of Music's centennial in 1984.

[9][4] He invited seven students—Anna Allen, Olive Burnett, Bertha Deniston, Amy DuBois, Nellie Gamble, Bessie Grooms and Estelle Leonard—to a meeting to discuss creating a society.

[12] It remained a local sorority until 1902, when a second chapter was established at Syracuse University, before affiliating with Mu Phi Epsilon in 1906.

[12] During his ten years as dean of the Music School, Howe established its curriculum and a vigorous performance schedule.

[15][16] In April 1897, Howe was the conductor for a music festival that featured the three oratorio socieities and a combined chorus of 200 to 250 singers.

[17] Ultimately, Howe was unable to secure enough money or find the material needed to carry out his long-term plans for the oratorio societies.

[21] In September 1916, Howe was the pianist and accompanist for several concerts in Alaska and British Columbia and with Aileen Ferluce, an Alaskan prima donna and harpist.

[28] His The Olympic Suite was inspired by a trip on the Great Northern Railway through the Cascade Range and Rocky Mountains in July 1922.

[28][24] Howe performed "The Rippling Waters of Queets" on piano for Washington State Federation Day at the Pacific Northwest Products Exhibition in February 1923.

[29] He premiered parts of The Olympic Suite in a series of radio concerts on KDZE that were heard by some 100,000 people.

[35] One of his lectures, "The Red Devils of the Board of Trade", was not musical and showed his new interest in the stock market and consumer issues.

[35] He also wrote The Dragon and Juggernaut of Speculation as Exemplified in Gambling in Prices of Our Food Products.

[24] Howe married Liley Cramphorn in the First Methodist Episcopal Church of San Jose on December 12, 1899.

[36] She was originally from Rochester, England but was living in San Jose where she was the secretary of the Pacific Grove Summer School of Music.