Behind the Screen
by Ralph Skiano
ISBN 9781735285726
An inside look at the process that helped Detroit Symphony Principal Clarinetist, Ralph Skiano, achieve success in his own auditions. In this flexible guide, Skiano shows you step-by-step how you can effectively organize your materials and time in order to maximize your potential at your next audition. Learn how to plan your travel to win, how to divide an audition list to practice effectively, what to do in the hotel, how to manage time in the warmup room, how to get feedback, and how to process feedback in the most helpful way. In addition, you’ll find plenty of helpful practice suggestions to address fundamental issues like technique, musical expression, and intonation. While there may not be a magical formula for audition preparation that will work for everyone, this book will give you ideas to help you approach your preparation with structure and creativity. A must-have resource for any aspiring orchestral musician!
Little Scores for Audition Success
by Ralph Skiano and Jeffrey Anderson
ISBN 978-1-7352857-0-2
When I first started auditioning professionally, my teacher told me, “Respond only to the music, not to the negative thoughts in your head.” But how do you respond to music that’s not there? Soon, I understood that the music in my mind needed to be so clear and my reactions to it so convincing that an audition committee could almost hear the orchestra playing along with me.
When I began using arrangements like these in my preparation, it was a game-changer for me! Creating multi-track recordings of these Little Scores serves several purposes: it harmonically informs phrasing choices, reinforces pitch and rhythm, and helps to REALLY internalize the music. It keeps me musically inspired and technically accurate.
Repertoire includes:
Mozart Clarinet Concerto
Beethoven Symphonies No. 4, 6, and 8
Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique
Brahms Symphonies No. 3 and 4
Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3
Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2
Schubert Symphony No. 8.