“Timothy McAllister is both an agile soloist, easily surmounting any technical hurdles, and an expressive, communicative musician able to plumb the depths or scale the heights of these contemporary composers’ inspirations. His fellow musicians are equally accomplished; these renditions are finely honed collaborations between talented peers.”
“Tim McAllister is a stunning saxophonist…he has played and recorded two of my saxophone works, and I can’t imagine them being played any better by anyone.”
“…the 136-year-old ensemble led by David Robertson, its music director since 2005, and its traveling virtuoso saxophonist, Timothy McAllister…he premiered the piece in 2013 and gave a steadily energetic, swimmingly sweeping performance of the modern work.”
Link to full review
“Relatively few classical composers have given the instrument a successful spotlight, but John Adams is out to change that with his new Saxophone Concerto…a gleaming vehicle for virtuoso saxophonist Timothy McAllister. He nails the fluent angularity and punchiness in the music with a lyrical touch somewhere comfortably between jazz and classical styles”
[Critics’ Picks: Musical Must-Haves for your holiday list: John Adams, Saxophone Concerto, City Noir] “Adams conjures up the seductive yet dangerous swagger of postwar Los Angeles…McAllister, the virtuoso and stylistically nimble saxophonist, lights up this recording…”
“Inspired by the work of jazz sax legend John Coltrane, for the American Premiere this weekend, Mr. McAllister played all three movements with superb virtuosity and artistic sensitivity…this is the music Philip Marlowe would hear as he sat in a late-night jazz club where the air was thick with smoke and regret. Mr. McAllister’s performance was moving and compelling.”
“REVIEW: Stephen Mulligan returns to the ASO for a saxophone-driven program”
“The evening’s linchpin was its second piece, “Adagio (For Wanda Lee Smith)”…Timothy McAllister was comfortable standing with one foot in each of the normally disparate worlds of classical refinement and hard bop intimacy. “Adagio (For Wadada Leo Smith)” flat out works thanks to a consistently...
A new concerto for alto saxophone and orchestra coming for 2026-2027 by renowned UK composer, Errollyn Wallen! More details and information soon! If you would like information on the consortium, contact Martha Woods (info below).