Born in New York, Howard Fredrics attended the Oberlin Conservatory where he studied with Richard Hoffmann, Randolph Coleman, Joseph Wood, Gary Nelson and Conrad Cummings. He then attended the University of Texas at Austin where he received the DMA degree while studying with Russell Pinkston and Karl Korte. He has taught at the Oberlin Conservatory, University of Texas, Texas A&M, Western Carolina University, Brown University and at Kingston University (London), where he currently serves as Sr. Lecturer.

His works have been performed throughout the world at major international festivals and in radio and television broadcasts, and have been awarded a number of prizes including in the Luigi Russolo, Bourges, Musica Nova, SEAMUS and Tampa Bay Composers Forum competitions as well as having received Emmy and Telly awards. His music is published by Auracle Music and Franklin Douglas music and appears on the SEAMUS/EAM, DIEM, HEAR, Otava, and Omnimusic labels.