“SAXsational” free concert with OJSHS band Nov. 17

Rob Verdi, SAXsational, will perform with Orofino’s Junior/Senior High School Tuesday, Nov. 17.

Clearwater Community Concert Association (CCCA) on Tuesday, Nov. 17 is presenting a free concert to the community. This free concert was made possible through grants that were awarded to CCCA this year from U.S. Bank, King’s Store Foundation through the Idaho Community Foundation, the Greatest Needs Fund through the Idaho Community Foundation, and an On the Spot Grant from the Idaho Community Foundation.

These grants were made possible, in part, due to the tireless work of CCCA grant writer and vice president, Barbara-Lee Jordan. Included as part of the grant is a student outreach program (which is required to receive these grants).Through cooperation of Kathleen Tetweiler, Music Director for Orofino Junior/Senior High School, Orofino’s own junior/senior band will be performing with Rob Verdi in SAXsational! Additionally, musicians from the community will be performing along with them. 

Verdi will participate in a two-hour rehearsal with the band members the day of the concert. He will then play lead on a variety of saxophones at the concert itself Nov. 17 beginning at 7 p.m. at Orofino Junior/Senior High School. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Student outreach programs are a wonderful tool that introduce young audiences to an eclectic mix of rare and unusual saxophones, famous saxophonists and well known popular melodies associated with Adolphe Sax’s 1846 invention. Educational content is designed for each academic level and may include clinics, masterclasses and all school assemblies.

Presentations for high school and college students include hands on participation as further advanced techniques related to jazz improvisation are explored. In our case, students will be invited to perform in the formal concert presentation. Rob Verdi’s unique teaching style and passion for music education is guaranteed to inspire young students.

Back in the early 1920’s, Vaudeville shows were the hot ticket. Saxophone virtuosos Rudy Weideoft and Adrian Rollini, along with famous saxophone ensembles such as the 6 Brown Brothers and the Schuester Sisters, were achieving great success and notoriety. The saxophone was the most well-liked instrument and a popular choice for young, aspiring music students to play in school band. 

Then, in the late 20’s, Vaudeville fell out of favor and the saxophone declined with it. With the drop in saxophone sales manufacturers such as Conn, Buescher, King, and Selmer were forced to create new designs to stimulate interest in the saxophone. What they conjured up was quite extraordinary.

In 2006 Rob Verdi launched an exciting new show entitled SAXOPHOBIA, which offered audiences a glimpse at some of the most unusual saxophones ever manufactured and paid tribute to legendary artists who contributed to the development of jazz and the popularity of the saxophone. Some of the instruments featured were a tiny curved soprano sax, straight tenor, C melody, connosax, slide sax, Grafton plastic alto, and a 6 1/2 feet tall contrabass. 

SAXsational, Rob Verdi's latest musical endeavor, has given Orofino’s high school band the opportunity to share the stage with him and his rare collection of saxophones. This guest artist program includes custom arrangements and puts our student’s center stage.

Together, Rob and Orofino’s talented musicians will explore a repertoire covering a half century of musical styles including toe tapping songs of the Roaring 20’s, hits from the swing era, and popular jazz standards. Throw in a little Pink Panther, Tequila, and Yakety Sax just for fun, and you’ve got an educational, historical and entertaining presentation.

Rob received his Music Education Degree from Arizona State University in Tempe. While in Arizona he was a featured soloist with the Phoenix Symphony, performed in a variety of musical ensembles and enjoyed the excitement of teaching junior high music. In 1983 he was a founding member of the Side Street Strutters Jazz Band, which went on to become the house jazz band of the Disneyland Resort for 22 years. Rob continues to be a regular performer at Disneyland, conducts jazz workshops for the Disney Magic Music Days Guest Talent program and works as a freelance musician in the Los Angeles area.

His passion for collecting saxophones has resulted in a collection of over 100 saxophones and an additional 150 rare wind, brass, and percussion instruments. In 2008, Rob was featured playing his six-and-a-half-foot tall contrabass sax on the soundtrack of “Horton Hears a Who.” He hopes to someday establish a musical instrument museum where visitors of all ages can see, hear, and even play some of his rare instruments.

If you would like further information about CCCA or would like to join the CCCA you can do so by calling Sheila at 208-476-3895 or go to www.clearwaterconcerts.org.

Dig for a Cure

By Coach Shannon Erbst

  Volleyball shoes, $90; pink volleyball jersey, $45; pink volleyball, $40. Watching your community come together for an outstanding cause - PRICELESS.

  On Oct. 11, the Orofino Lady Maniac volleyball team was Diggin for a Cure. In a very exciting match against Summit Academy, the Lady Maniacs played one of their best matches of the season. With the emotions running high from the night’s events, the girls really put on a great show.

  It all started with the JV team announcing themselves and who they would be playing for that night. We wanted to honor all the women and men that have either been affected by breast cancer or any cancer at all, with a carnation and a promise to “dig for a cure.” Carnations were discounted and made for the night by Orofino Flower Shop.

  Ready to get started, the JV girls jumped into a three game match filled with pink jerseys, socks and hair. Summit did a great job in participating by wearing pink ribbons in their hair as well as a few girls with pink shoe laces.

  The Maniacs came on strong in all three games, never giving up. As the match progressed there was a gradual sea of pink entering the gym. It was pack the gym in pink night and everyone was in full support. We really pushed for everyone to wear pink to the game because Pepsi and Coke had vowed to donate 50 cents per pink shirt, up to $500 each. So our goal was to create a pink backdrop in the stands with all of the shirts, and with each passing game the pink really came on!

  As fans entered into the school, they were greeted by ICARE selling some beautiful jewelry and a booth where you could purchase pink shirts and other merchandise. In between the varsity and JV matches we had raffles giving away “Dig for a Cure” shirts, calendars and Frisbees. We also held an auction with a beautiful basket full of Pampered Chef items that was donated by Sue Summerton, as well as a poster of the volleyball team that went up for auction. The total between the two auctions was just a little over $200.

  As Doug Adams wrapped up the auction someone shouted, “Alaska Loggers will donate $1.00 for every point the Lady Maniacs score tonight.” As we searched the crowd to see where the generous donation came from, we realized it was from one of the fathers from our volleyball team, Mike Reggear. As soon we announced where that came from the gym blew up with pledges from numerous businesses in town.

  What an amazing sight to see as hands starting raising and people started running up to benches to include their company in the donation. All companies that donated $75 each were: Alaska Logger, McLaughlin Loggers, U.S. Bank, Clearwater Kids, Glenwood Pharmacy, Orofino Physical Therapy, Potlatch, CEA, Harper Chiropractic, Orofino Loggers, Hanson Garage, Woolsey Construction and Brookside Landing. Thank you so much!

  Another amazing donation for the night was from Orofino Builder Supply. They had graciously donated over 250 shirts to be sold during and before the game. The shirts looked awesome in pink, decorated with the volleyball teams’ signatures all over it.

  Just when we thought the night was at the highest point, ICARE came forward and announced that they would be awarding $500 to one of our audience members who is currently fighting cancer. Wow!  The night was only getting better.

  Next on the list of the night’s events was the Lady Maniac Varsity team to announce who they were going to be playing for. As the gym floor started filling up with cancer survivors, fighters and loved ones of family members that had been lost, the entire atmosphere had changed.

  How can such a small event make such a huge impact on so many lives? We had all the players and honorees stand in front of the net for a picture, and what a sight to see. Tears, laughter, hugs and emotions were running high. Everyone was looking to each other and supporting one another whether they knew the person standing next to them or not.  To be someone that has had a family member affected by breast cancer and to witness all the love and support flowing thru the gym made me absolutely speechless. Strangers hugging strangers, mothers hugging daughters and lost loved ones being remembered. Absolutely priceless!

  Next on the list of events: Lady Maniac Volleyball. I was a little worried that with all the emotions on the night the girls may be lacking some focus. Well, they proved me wrong in a big way. We had accomplished something we had not done all year long….the girls came together and showed an extreme amount of chemistry. Was it the night’s events, seeing so many strangers come together for one event? I really think it was in our team all along but with the experiences through the night, it brought out the bond in the girls. They played amazing all three set, never giving up and playing hard to the bitter end.

  Beating Summitt Academy in three games was a huge accomplishment on the night but the true incentive went to all the people we were playing for. It was a great showing by the Lady Maniacs capitalizing on the night’s theme, “Fighting together, to never give up.” Anyone that was at the game that night experienced something that Orofino has never done at that level. It was very memorable and something we will continue to do each year.

  We are so thankful for all the help we had received on the night, thanks to: Heidi Summers, OHS coaching staff; Cindy Haskett, score keeper/coaching staff; Doug Adams, announcer of all games and the night’s events; Bob Alverson, principal and huge motivator/supporter on the night; the parents of Maniac Volleyball; Pepsi and Coke for their $250 donations; Orofino Builders Supply, over 250 Dig for a Cure shirts; Orofino Flower Shop- carnations for honorees for the night; Joe Hall Ford, $500 donation; Sue Summerton, Pampered Chef basket; ICARE, $500 donation to cancer victim at the event; Jim Hill, purchase of team picture at the auction; Barb Wityczak, purchase of Pampered Chef basket; Salon Savvy, hair care products; Harper Chiropractic, t-shirts.

  Thank you also to the OHS Lady Maniac Volleyball players for never giving up and showing true character; all the amazing businesses in town that donated $75 for each point scored by the Maniacs; Linda Johnston for inspiring me every day; and everyone else that had helped with the event, Thank you one hundred times over! Without all the support, we could have never made the night as memorable as it was.

  We raised a little over $3,000. We donated $840 of that to Clearwater Valley Hospital for 10 women to get mammograms. Another $500 was donated to ICARE, to be given to two local women fighting cancer.

  Pictures will be in next week.

  We do have some shirts left over at $5 apiece, if you are interested in buying one call (208) 827-0734 and we can get one to you.

  We live in an amazing community; we have great kids and fantastic fans! And I know that I am very proud to call this home. Go Maniacs!

This group of people who either have or have had cancer; or have a family member or friend with cancer, was honored during the Orofino Lady Maniac “Dig for a Cure” event Oct. 11 at the Orofino High School gymnasium.

Tabby Haskett, Jordynn Schwartz, Taylor Erbst, Sarah Campbell, Kaitlyn Reggear, Madison Parks, Megan Gilmer, Morgan Adams, Courtney Adams, Kyla Cobbs and Coach Shannon Erbst (l to r) listen to the Star Spangled Banner during “Dig for a Cure” Oct. 11.

Pam Danielson and Patty Reggear (a cancer survivor) at the Lady Maniac Volleyball “Dig for a Cure” event Oct. 11. Behind Patty is Chad Easterbrook.