“this array of talented composers born between 1953 (Marianne Ploger) and 1996 (Zoe Cutler), all rising to the occasion in different but satisfying ways. I don’t imagine I will encounter a saxophone recital exhibiting as much imaginative fun for a long time. The recorded sound is exemplary.”
“Soloist Timothy McAllister gives a warm and glittering performance, the timbre of his alto saxophone offering a sweet reminder of its past as a staple of the dance band era…the scope and flair of the playing in this volume of Fuchs’s orchestral works make it essential listening.”
“Top Classical Saxophone Recordings - Timothy McAllister (Scena and Visions)”
“The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra paired the Eroica with a relatively new piece by John Adams, featuring saxophone virtuoso Timothy McAllister, for whom it was composed. It’s a daunting, virtuosic piece of work, a half-hour long, two-movement piece that allows the soloist almost no rest for its duration…McAllister’s signature sound is gorgeous–smooth and liquid–very similar to a clarinet in the middle register, and only a touch meatier at the bottom and top”
“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.”
“Timothy McAllister, the saxophonist virtuoso for whom this concerto was written, performed with amazing fluency, combining crisp rhythmic energy with infectious, stylish phrasing. Jazz influences, appropriate to the instrument, are often just below the surface. Moody sections, reminiscent of a film noir score, are particularly effective. This is certainly one of the most original and successful concertos written for any instrument in recent decades.”
“Adams wanted a sax sound associated with jazz performance…McAllister’s powerful performance does have a more ‘American’ sound, while the St. Louis Symphony achieves the intended fusion of bebop into its veins while maintaining a sense of clarity and conciseness throughout…vital, engaging performances by all involved”
A new concerto for alto saxophone and orchestra coming 2026-2027 Season! Commissioning groups include the Gail Straith Fund/University of Michigan, Albany Symphony, Auburn Symphony Orchestra (WA), and the Shreveport Symphony. Contact Martha Woods (info below).
Photo: Aaron Jay Young