[Review: “John Adams Saxophone Concerto is a Hit”]
“Adams’s new Saxophone Concerto, with its dedicatee Timothy McAllister as the soloist, was fascinating. Adams grew up listening to bebop, and that idiom shone exhilaratingly through, but there were also echoes of Stravinsky and Bernstein. The intricate inventiveness of the solo line was subtly shadowed by bassoon, flute, and the saxophone’s clarinet cousin: Marin Alsop and the BBC Symphony Orchestra did it proud.”

Michael Church The Independent (UK) (9/8/14)

[REVIEW: John Adams leads Cleveland Orchestra in riveting program] “The three-movement quasi-concerto featuring saxophone soloist Timothy McAllister conjures the dark and mysterious Los Angeles of the 1940s and 50s…McAllister soared beautifully against strings, vibraphone, and solo horn.”

Kevin McLaughlin Cleveland Plain Dealer (April 2024)

“Timothy McAllister brings his inimitable, classical sax playing to the stunning piano playing of Liz Ames here, where both minimalism and modernism fill the Latin, jazz, funk and theater nods across these daring 14 tracks…A very unique listen that embraces abstract pop moments as well as rich moments of dramatic swells, McAllister and Ames create a highly atypical version of contemporary classical sounds that requires repeated listens.”

Take Effect (February 2023)

“Handling the extensive saxophone solos was guest musician Timothy McAllister, who performed the work’s world premiere and who was brought in at Adams’ request. Although seated in the middle of the orchestra, he stood for the solos and played the jazz-inspired riffs in a nervy, improvisatory style, a highlight of what was a fine performance.”

David Fleshler The Miami Herald/South Florida Classical Review

[REVIEW: “Adolphe Sax’s 200th celebrated in style in Liverpool with Adams’ concerto”] “John Adams’ Saxophone Concerto, premiered just last year, was received with enthusiastic whoops, and with good reason. Its greatest champion, the soloist Timothy McAllister, painted it with a rich spectrum of sonic colour in addition to offering an astounding display of virtuosity. His technical facility did a great deal for the soft fluidity of the early parts of the concerto, especially in the...

Rohan Shotton BACHTRACK (12/1/2014)

“It was Higdon’s concerto that offered the most sublime musical moments on the program…her saxophone concerto is an extremely lyrical piece whose ideas are clear and free of musical meandering…The work was played with warmth and agility by saxophonist Timothy McAllister…In the realm of contemporary music, finding a jewel amid the programmed mix is a rare music moment. And this concert delivered it with Higdon’s concerto.”

Edward Ortiz The Sacramento Bee

[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…”

Brian McCollum and Mark Stryker Detroit Free Press (12/14/14)

Paul Moravec

New for 2026-2027! The winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize in Music, composer Paul Moravec is composing a large-scale concerto for alto saxophone and orchestra for Timothy McAllister and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project under the intrepid conductor Gil Rose. More details soon!

Contact Martha Woods for inquiries and contracting.

Booking Information

Martha Woods
President
Jonathan Wentworth Associates Ltd.
6118 40th Avenue
Hyattsville, Maryland 20782-3012