She inherited her musical talents from her father, a choir leader, and chorister, and received early training from a brother, who was a pianist.

When a little girl, she wanted to be a "big singer,” and her greatest delight was to put on an old calico apron for a “trail,” make a stage of old boxes and give concerts.

[1] In the early 1880s, when Howe was in her teens and unknown to musical fame outside of her native town, she made her debut in Western Vermont as a concert singer.

Her father, at that time 70 years of age, but still retaining a strong, clear, tenor voice, was the choir leader.

She spent part of the following winter in Philadelphia with Mrs. Osgood, and continued her studies with Prof. Siegfried Behrens, the teacher and conductor.

Having pleased the public and the critics, she was given a three months’ engagement, and sang also the leading soprano part in Lucia and Il Barbier di Sesiglia.

One of the foremost critics in Berlin said of her: "At nineteen years of age she shows more signs of being a second Patti than any woman in the world.

After giving a few concerts in New England cities, she decided to go abroad again for the purpose of continuing her studies for the operatic stage.

[3] By the mid 1890s, nearly every large city, and many smaller ones, east of the Mississippi River had heard Howe in concert, and the chief music festivals of the country had her name at one time or another at the head of the list of artists announced as attractions.

At Danzig, her first appearances were in Rossini's Barber of Seville, and they praised her spontaneous and delightful comedy, but returned immediately to the fundamental note of all her critiques, the magical beauty of her voice.

She introduced the famous virtuoso piece from Félicien David's Perle de Brazil, and a Frühlingsstimmen, by Strauss.