As musicians settled into their chairs at the Robert O. Broomhead Bandstand, concertgoers set up lawn chairs across the grass at Island Wharf in Marion. Within minutes, conductor Tobias Monte had turned the informal Friday evening gathering into a musical trip through Latin America and beyond.
The Marion Concert Band presented “A Latin American Festival” on August 14, exploring music and rhythms from Mexico, Spain, Brazil and the Caribbean, along with American music influenced by Latin traditions.
But Monte did more than conduct.
Between selections, he talked about the history and origins of the music, introducing the audience to styles including bossa nova, calypso, beguine and flamenco.
Monte has directed the Marion Concert Band since 1985, and his years as a music educator were evident as he explained the music without making the evening feel like a lesson.
One of the selections, Robert Sheldon’s “Iberian Escapades,” offered an opportunity to talk about Spain’s musical traditions, including flamenco. The concert began with a march before moving through the different rhythms and styles represented throughout the evening.
The variety on the program was matched by the musicians on the bandstand.
Players of different generations filled the ensemble, with some still arriving and taking their seats just minutes before the 7:00 pm start. Once Monte raised his baton, they came together as a polished concert band.
The accomplished musicianship contrasted with the easygoing setting. Monte conducted in shorts and sneakers while an audience made up largely of older residents watched from folding chairs spread across the lawn.
And the evening’s theme extended beyond the music.
Six bright pink flamingos were tucked into the landscaping surrounding the bandstand, decorations Monte made sure to point out to the audience.
As evening settled over Island Wharf and the bandstand lights came on, Monte continued to provide bits of musical history and context between selections before turning back to the musicians for the next piece.
The result was part concert and part musical tour, delivered in the relaxed atmosphere of a summer Friday night in Marion.
The August 14 performance was the seventh concert in the Marion Concert Band’s nine-week 2026 summer season.
The band returns to the Broomhead Bandstand Friday, August 21, for “From Jazz to Rock: America’s Popular Music.” The season concludes August 28 with “A Boston Pops Season Finale.”
Concerts begin at 7:00 pm and are free and open to the public.
By Jeanne Hopkins