A nationally known saxophonist will soon perform with local students in a concert honoring the legacy of beloved Eagle River music educator David E. Anderson.
The Headwaters Council for the Performing Arts (HCPA) will present “SAXsational with Rob Verdi” on Friday, March 20, at 7 p.m. at the Northland Pines High School auditorium in Eagle River. Part of a student outreach program, the show will feature jazz and concert band students from Northland Pines and surrounding schools and local musicians.
“We are pleased to have the right program to reach out to our students,” said Norma Yaeger, president of HCPA. “NPHS band director Bethany Puffer has been preparing the band, and Rob Verdi of SAXsational will conduct.”
The evening will also honor the life and legacy of Anderson, who served as band and choral director at Eagle River High School, later Northland Pines High School, from 1952 to 1985.
A life in community arts
Beyond the school, Anderson was deeply involved in the arts throughout the community.
He was a founding member of HCPA, the nonprofit organization that has brought quality, affordable family entertainment to Eagle River since 1982, and served on its board of directors from 1985 to 1993.
He was also a member of the Rhinelander Community Band, which he conducted for a time. He worked as a church choir director and a highly respected piano tuner and technician throughout northern Wisconsin from the 1960s until age 90.
“We hope that residents of Eagle River and surrounding towns will remember our father as a caring and inspiring music teacher who not only provided students with an excellent band and choral arts education, but also sought every opportunity to bring professional musicians and shows to the North Woods,” said Lori (Anderson) Sommerfield, one of Anderson’s five children and youngest daughter.
“Our dad really cared about each of his students on a personal level, and many viewed him as a father figure,” added Sommerfield. “He was so beloved and respected that students affectionately called him ‘Papa Dave’ for many decades.”
Continuing Anderson’s legacy
Sommerfield noted that Anderson once brought famed trumpeter Rafael Méndez to Eagle River for a concert and student workshop. He also conducted free summer concerts at the Riverside Park bandshell.
In that same spirit, the David E. Anderson Fine Arts Student Outreach Fund was established in 2016 by Anderson’s children following his death in December 2015.
The fund provides ongoing financial support for fine arts education for Northland Pines students and community members — including the upcoming SAXsational experience — with the goal of bringing musicians, dancers and actors to the Eagle River area to share their professional experience.
“We thought establishing the fund was the best way to honor his legacy as a musician and teacher and his support of professional fine arts, by giving back to the community through underwriting HCPA performances that include student master classes and performance opportunities,” said Sommerfield.
An intermission tribute
The Anderson tribute will take place during intermission. In advance of the concert, HCPA members are gathering memorabilia highlighting Anderson’s career. The items will be displayed at the Walter E. Olson Memorial Library before the concert and then moved to the auditorium for the event.
“We’re trying to collect memorabilia from the things that he’s done — yearbooks, awards he received, shows he was involved in,” said HCPA member Sue Waggoner. “It’s going to be a tribute and a celebration of what he did with the school.”
“He had such a commitment to student interaction,” Waggoner added, making the joint SAXsational performance with Verdi and students the perfect show to honor his contributions.
Rob Verdi’s SAXsational program
Verdi is a Los Angeles-based musician who has worked for Disney’s entertainment division for 41 years, including 22 years performing with the Side Street Strutters Jazz Band at Disneyland.
Following his touring show Saxophobia, which featured rare saxophones and honored iconic jazz legends, he created SAXsational as a guest artist program that invites local school and community concert and jazz bands to share the stage with him, encouraging young musicians to continue pursuing their musical ambitions.
The show features a variety of unusual saxophones, and participating students receive musical arrangements months in advance to practice ahead of the performance.
During the concert, Verdi pays tribute to the saxophone’s distinctive sound across multiple musical styles, including jazz standards, movie and television themes, pop hits and iconic saxophone favorites such as “Tequila,” “The Pink Panther Theme” and “Yakety Sax.”
During the March 20 concert, students will have a unique chance to perform for family, friends and community members alongside a professional musician, reflecting the kind of opportunity Anderson worked to create for students throughout his career.
As Yaeger put it: “The legacy of a dedicated musician and well-loved member of the Eagle River community lives on.”
“This year marks the 10th anniversary of the outreach fund, which is still going strong,” said Sommerfield. “The Anderson family is thrilled to be able to further our father’s vision of sharing outstanding fine arts performances with as many people in our community as possible, particularly young people.”
Northland Pines High School is located at 1800 Pleasure Island Road. Tickets are $35 and are available at Eagle River Roasters, online at hcpapresents.com, or at the venue beginning at 6 p.m. Seating is general admission, and the auditorium is accessible to individuals with disabilities. For more information, contact Debbie Poulopoulos at 630-712-0530.
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