Allen has appeared as a soloist with many orchestras and bands including the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, the Florida State University Wind Orchestra, the JCC Orchestra of Louisville, and the Tallahassee Winds. Among his many successful competition endeavors, he was named a semi-finalist in the 1998 Concert Artists Guild International Competition and was the winner of many state and regional competitions including the 1995 Southern Region Soloist Division of MTNA. Allen has also served as a saxophonist with the Freiburg Opera Orchestra, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and Keith Brion's New Sousa Band. During the Fall of 1999, he studied in Germany with Harry-Kinross White, formerly of the Rascher Saxophone Quartet.

As the alto saxophonist for the Sax-chamber Quartet, he has been active in chamber music. The group won the 1998 National Chamber Division of MTNA, the1998 Carmel International Chamber Music Competition, were semi-finalist in the 1998 Fishoff International Chamber Music Competition, and received Honorable Mention in the 1999 Coleman International Chamber Music Competition. In 1999, the quartet was invited by the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Graz, Austria, to participate in their International Week of Music, where he was also a soloist with the orchestra. The Sax-chamber Quartet was only the third ensemble to be invited from the United States since the International Week of Music began in 1973.

Allen holds degrees in saxophone performance from the University of Southern Mississippi and Florida State University. Former teachers include Jon Remley, Lawrence Gwozdz, and Patrick Meighan.