The collection consists primarily of musical scores by Howard Brubeck. Several files of documents are also in the collection, including letters from Howard Brubeck to Dave and Iola Brubeck concerning various projects in 1961 and 1962.

Howard Brubeck was a noted composer of classical and jazz works. He was the older brother of Dave Brubeck, one of the most well known musicians of the 20th century. Howard was born in Concord, California on July 11, 1916. He graduated from San Francisco State College in 1938, and went on to study composition at Mills College with Darius Milhaud, Domenico Brescia, and Margaret Pall. Howard received a master's degree from Mills College in 1941. He held a variety of academic positions throughout the 1950s, including assistant to Professor Milhaud at Mills College, Head of the Composition Department at San Diego State College, and Chairman of the Music Department at Palomar College. Howard continued to write a broad range of compositions throughout his adult life, including the California Suite and Dialogues for Jazz Combo and Symphony Orchestra. He was also the official transcriber of Dave Brubeck's works. Howard Brubeck died in Escondido, California on February 16, 1993.

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