Howard co-founded and co-directed the Philosophy of Education Research Centre at Harvard (1983-1999) and taught at the U. of Western Ontario, the U. of London, and the U. of Pennsylvania. Also trained as a classical singer, he has performed in Canada, the U.S., Britain, and Latin America, and has written eight books. In his latest text he offers an interpretation, analysis, and reconstruction of the concept of virtuosity in artistic performance. By clarifying what it means in a given art form to be a virtuoso and how the idea of virtuosity changes and evolves with artistic developments and tastes over time, the author hopes to improve both its theoretical and practical applicability in the performing arts. For critics, theorists, and students, performers and their mentors. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)