“Both violinist Leila Josefewicz and saxophonist Timothy McAllister gave incredible performances this evening. McAllister was the eye of a storm in his performance, delivering endless cascades of notes with Zen-like control, and acrobatic grace…Adams’ Saxophone Concerto is a solid new contribution to a genre that is undeservedly underrepresented. The star of the show was, hands down, McAllister, whose prowess portends great things to come, not just for himself, but for the presence of...

Jason Gerraughty I CARE IF YOU LISTEN (Aug 30, 2013)

“Paul Creston’s Saxophone Concerto (1941) runs the gamut of moods from the dramatic and lyrical to the bright and breezy, often within the same movement. Better known through its 1963 wind-band arrangement, I find the orchestral original more attractive, though Timothy McAllister would be a persuasive advocate in any format.”

Guy Rickards Gramophone Magazine (March 2024)

“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.”

Rick Walters Express Milwaukee (April 2, 2014)

“Certainly this is a virtuosic piece, designed to test the limits of the soloist for whom it was written, Tim McAllister, who showed his technical chops and his expressive musicianship with a piece that had his instrument now noodling thoughtfully, now dashing in crazy, frenetic runs up and down the scale…”

Anne Midgette Washington Post (Sept 2013)

“Dudamel led a bracing, propulsive performance with instrumental lines clear even in Adams’ most riotous contrapuntal moments. The L.A. Phil members covered themselves in glory with outstanding contributions…especially, Timothy McAllister’s evocative and bravura alto sax playing.”

Lawrence A. Johnson The Classical Review

“an absolute master of the saxophone, and a composer’s dream musician!”

Jennifer Higdon GRAMMY-winning composer and Pulitzer Prize Laureate

“the score deftly fuses classical and jazz elements to create a cohesive, arresting experience…it was written to match the talents of Tim McAllister, a sterling saxophonist who can handle those elements effortlessly…a kinetic, ecstatic ride that achieves giddy heights along the way…McAllister’s splendid playing drew a hearty ovation from the audience and orchestra”

Tim Smith The Baltimore Sun (Sept. 2013)

Vincent Ho

Whimsical Concerto of Fanciful Birds (2023)
I. Enchanted Migrations
II. Angels and Mockingbirds
III. Urban Birds

Premiered by Tim McAllister and the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, this concerto represents the culmination of the composer’s years of writing for saxophone, namely in the series “Whimsical Sketches of Fanciful Birds, Books 1-3” for alto saxophone and piano. This series are a collection of fifteen works that explore various bird-like or bird-inspired sounds that could be created on the saxophone instrument. After writing this collection (with the possibility of more to come), the inevitable next step was to adapt many of these musical ideas into a large-scale concerto. To fully capture the spirit of the avian world Ho envisioned, it was decided to score it for solo alto saxophone, orchestra, and spatialized saxophone ensemble–a collective of saxophonists placed in various areas of the concert hall surrounding the audience (eg. loges, balconies, aisles, etc) to serve as the “flock of birds” accompanying the soloist and orchestra while creating an immersive sonic experience for the audience.

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