“Connesson knows how to be lyrical and expressive beyond the sentimentalism of John Adams. The audience, left breathless by the astounding virtuosity of Timothy McAllister, cheered on the composer who will see his work recorded for Deutsche Grammophon with the same performers.”

Bertrand Hainut DIAPASON Magazine (France)

“It is a formidable challenge for a saxophonist to make the composer’s astonishing range of sounds flow as smoothly and enticingly as McAllister does, nor is it a given that the intricate rhythmic give-and-take between soloist and conductor Giancarlo Guerrero could fall into place as merrily as it did…the results, however, were nothing short of exhilarating…the thrills come partly from McAllister’s virtuosity but also from Corigliano’s fertile orchestral imagination.”

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Harvey Steiman Seen and Heard International (4/9/22)

[Review: “Albany Symphony, Cheng and McAllister in top form”]
To finish the evening, John Corigliano’s “Triathlon for Saxophonist and Orchestra” would be hard to beat. With Grammy-winning saxophonist Timothy McAllister as the star, the piece is not only a tour de force for the saxophone but also for the orchestra…the overall effect was buoyant, bold, funky, and very in-your-face confident.“

Geraldine Freedman The Daily Gazette (6/5/22)

“Adams, a long-standing jazz fan, writes expertly for the instrument. And the soloist Timothy McAllister makes an excellent advocate…we hear plenty of seductive sounds, with subtle echoes of composers including Debussy and Holst. The effect is atmospheric, and it’s hard not to be carried along by the work’s vigour, fearlessly embraced by McAllister and the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Marin Alsop.”

Hannah Nepil Financial Times (UK) (9/7/14)

“Timothy McAllister is one of the best soprano players I have ever heard. The way he performs my Garden of Love, with such ease, even in the high registers, is simply stunning: a breathtaking polished tone, combined with brilliant singing vibrato, and this typical American swing, what more could a composer want…Chapeau!”

Jacob ter Veldhuis Celebrated Dutch Avant-Pop composer

“expertly written for the brilliant Timothy McAllister, and the music has the infectious, irresistible energy [Adams] generates so convincingly…”

Andrew Clements The Guardian (UK) (6/4/14)

“A tremendous saxophonist, McAllister played with great strength, bright tone, and excellent intonation—including the altissimo register—on all his horns…in the end Corigliano’s ‘Triathlon’ brought the house down in cheers for soloist, orchestra, and composer.”

George Grella New York Classical Review (6/5/22)

Pierre Jalbert

Saxophone Concerto (2024)
Pierre Jalbert (b. 1967)
I. Luna Nova
II. Speed of Light
Duration: 18 minutes

Written for Timothy McAllister and scored for solo alto saxophone, with an ensemble of orchestral winds (woodwinds and brass) plus percussion and piano. The opening movement, marked “Gently, with a sense of pulse”, explores the saxophone’s lyrical and expressive qualities as the ensemble creates slowly-changing, pulsating harmonies, over which the saxophone plays long, lyrical lines. The second movement, marked “With great energy”, contains frenetic, pulse-oriented music and features the saxophone’s virtuosic possibilities. Eventually, the ensemble gives way to the soloist’s slowly evolving cadenza. As the movement titles suggest, the music was inspired by the phases of the moon and the vastness of space. - Pierre Jalbert

Earning widespread notice for his richly colored and superbly crafted scores, Pierre Jalbert has developed a musical language that is engaging, expressive, and “immediately captures one’s attention with its strong gesture and vitality” (American Academy of Arts and Letters). Among his many honors are the Rome Prize, the BBC Masterprize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's Stoeger Award, given biennially “in recognition of significant contributions to the chamber music repertory.” He has drawn inspiration from a variety of sources, from plainchant melodies to the natural world. Recent album releases include his Violin Concerto (2019), String Theory (2021), and Air in Motion (2022), which features the Escher String Quartet and Carol Wincenc.
Jalbert is Professor of Music at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in Houston, where he has taught since 1996. His music is published by Schott Music.

More information at Pierre Jalbert’s website HERE.

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