“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)

“John Adams’ new concerto has an appealing blend of bright colours and astringency. Saxophonist Timothy McAllister was the outstanding soloist, channelling Stan Getz in the smooth lyrical passages. In the relentless, bebop-like figurations - stunningly executed - it recalled the frenetic solos of Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley and John Coltrane”

Murray Black The Australian, Aug 2013

“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

“Hailstork’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Strings is a potent distillation of American music, with elements of high church, jazz, and African-American spirituals…the pairing of saxophone and strings created a powerful, minimalist effect; a canvas upon which McAllister painted Hailstork’s complex melodies that commanded every note in his instrument’s range. An electrifying and auspicious premiere.”

Frank Housh Media Room: The Arts in Real Life (6/1/25)

“Relatively few classical composers have given the instrument a successful spotlight, but John Adams is out to change that with his new Saxophone Concerto…a gleaming vehicle for virtuoso saxophonist Timothy McAllister. He nails the fluent angularity and punchiness in the music with a lyrical touch somewhere comfortably between jazz and classical styles”

Tom Huizenga Deceptive Cadence from NPR Classical (June 12, 2014)

“The virtuosic writing makes uncompromising demands on the soloist, challenges to which Timothy McAllister rose most impressively, maintaining a fullness of tone where Adams’s writing is lyrical while handling some incredibly difficult fast passages with commendable ease and clarity…Adams has enriched the sparse repertoire with an impressively argued structure”

Ben Hogwood Classical Source (UK) (9/5/14)

“McAllister shone in the virtuosic concerto, navigating the perilous runs and figures with ease while keeping a high level of technical proficiency. His musicality was the high point of the performance, especially in the opening movement where Dahl eschewed a steady beat and rhythm, leaving the soloist to push forward the musical line. The final movement was a whirlwind of fingers, but each note and phrase was perfectly placed.”

John Norine, Jr. Theater Jones: Arts News in North Texas

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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