Mr. Nuccio is currently the Principal Clarinetist of the Houston Symphony, a position he has held since 2016. Prior to that, he was a member of the New York Philharmonic having joined in 1999 as Associate Principal and Solo E-flat Clarinetist. During Nuccio’s 17 years in the NYP, he served as Acting Principal Clarinet for four years from 2009-2013. Prior to his service with the Philharmonic, he has held positions with orchestras in Pittsburgh, Denver, Savannah, and Florida.

As an active chamber musician, Nuccio has performed in most of the leading concert halls in the world including Carnegie Hall, 92nd Street Y, Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as many halls abroad. Additionally Nuccio has performed numerous movie soundtracks as a studio musician, performed in the Grammys as well as LIVE TV slots.

Beyond his active performing schedule, Mr. Nuccio is committed to training the next generation of musicians and currently serves as music faculty for University of Miami’s Frost School of Music in Coral Gables, FL. Prior to the University of Miami, Nuccio served in similar positions at Northwestern University, the Manhattan School of Music and Mannes College.

Thirty years ago, Nuccio had a dream of creating a series of clarinet books for the purpose of helping young orchestral clarinetists, teachers, and conductors to prepare, teach or understand how to win auditions. The series, The Audition Method, will always include in-depth commentary, detailed annotations, and even exercises to help to achieve greater success within many of the orchestral passages. In 2014, The Audition Method for Clarinet, Volume 1, was published. Now it is 2023, and The Audition Method for Clarinet, Volume 2 has become a reality and a highly requested addition to its predecessor. After some thought, Nuccio and his creative partner and former student, Benjamin Baron, decided that this concept could expand into other instruments as well. In February 2023, The Audition Method for Violin, Volume 1, was released by David Kim, Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, using the same in-depth layout created by Nuccio and Baron. David Kim’s talent and vast knowledge of the violin created the content needed for violinists through the concepts Nuccio conceived of 30 years ago. Soon the series will further expand for The Audition Method to include additional instruments, some already in the works and all will be authored by leading performing and orchestral teaching artists around the United States. The target for each of these books will remain the same…to highlight extreme details in one’s preparation to win a blind audition for any professional orchestra while also enlightening conductors and educators into the detailed world of an orchestral player.

With a career that has spanned over four decades and having won six orchestral jobs, it is Nuccio’s hope that applying his method will help others achieve the same success. Additionally I would like to thank Benjamin Baron for helping to make this book possible through our many hours of collaboration. It wouldn’t have been possible without the mutual respect and friendship that we have shared over two decades!

A Colorado native, Mr. Nuccio was awarded the “Distinguished Alumni Award” from his alma mater, the University of Northern Colorado. The award is the highest honor presented to a UNC graduate by the Alumni Association. He also holds a master’s degree from Northwestern University where he studied with renowned pedagogue Robert Marcellus, former Principal Clarinetist of the Cleveland Orchestra.

Mark Nuccio is a performing artist/clinician for Buffet Music Group and a D’Addario Advising Artist & Clinician.

For more information please visit www.marknuccio.com.