Book excerpt: The Singer’s Audition & Career Handbook is a comprehensive guide to the training, audition technique, and professional development essential for launching and sustaining a rewarding career in classical singing. Expanding on author Claudia Friedlander’s online collaboration with mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato and the Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall, the book brings together insights from nearly seventy prominent performers, educators, and opera industry professionals. Whether you are a young singer preparing for conservatory auditions, a professional opera singer, or an avocational singer seeking to improve your technique and pursue local performance opportunities, this book will help you take inventory of your skills and achieve the next stages of your musical journey.