“The star of the show was the saxophonist Timothy McAllister, all pep and bounce and loose-limbed lyricism in John Adams’s 2013 Saxophone Concerto. It reads like a love letter to the giants of be-bop and swing, with orchestration as plush as a velvet banquette, honeyed harmonies from a choir of flutes and clarinets, and mirror-ball figures for celesta. At ease and alert, McAllister dazzled and crooned…an American dream of neon signage and slick city streets.”
“I have great admiration for your great talent…I have been very impressed by your masterful technique, by the simplicity of your playing, by your musical intelligence, by the perfect presentation…”
[“SLSO fires on all cylinders with creative concert featuring ‘Bolero’”]
On Connesson’s ‘A Kind of Trane’: “Much of it sounded like dazzling improvisation…complete mastery of every nuance of phrase and melody”
“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.”
“the main attraction of this enjoyable St. Louis Symphony album, conducted by David Robertson, is Adams’ Saxophone Concerto, composed for the virtuosic Timothy McAllister, who plays it here. Stacked with swing-era allusions, moody 4am interludes and cartwheeling acrobatics, it is unpretentious fun from start to finish”
“Adams’s concerto followed, full of impatient energy, nods to various styles of music and some wildly intense saxophone lines…the piece was full of saxophone pyrotechnics that McAllister played with command and ease. He moved gracefully from a bold, brassy sound to mellow, almost vocal strains, playing with the precision and polish of a classical player and a musical freedom that made much of the piece sound improvised on the spot”
“brilliant solos were in abundance, especially by Timothy McAllister…”
A new concerto for alto saxophone and orchestra coming 2026-2027 Season! More details soon! If you are interested in joining the consortium, contact Martha Woods (info below).
Photo: Aaron Jay Young