For over 50 years, the Tri-County Symphonic Band has drawn large and enthusiastic crowds of those who love good music. With a repertoire that includes traditional and contemporary classical music as well as jazz, Broadway, and popular selections, the band has developed great audience excitement throughout the South Coast area. In addition to many concerts in Tabor Academy’s Performing Arts Center in Marion, the band gives concerts in Dartmouth and has recently appeared on the concert stage at Falmouth Academy. Fueling much of this music making are a number of South Coast families. Fathers and sons, brothers, fathers and daughters, and husbands and wives have all appeared with the band.
With regard to family contributions, the family of Toby Monte, trumpet first chair, stands out. Toby’s great-grandfather, Antonio Pacheco Silva, arrived in America in 1912 and a year later launched a legacy by starting the Acoreana Band (now called the Banda Filarmónica Santa Cecilia). Six of Antonio’s sons played in the band while granddaughter Irene Silva Monte, Toby Monte’s mother, has been the driving force behind the legacy. A gifted pianist and soprano, Irene was the inspiration for her son’s musical achievements. Irene provided the music for services at Santo Christo Church in Fall River for 60 years. In addition to her piano playing and singing, Irene made sure that the church had an organist by urging Toby to learn to play the organ along with his interests in the trumpet.
Toby Monte began playing with the Tri-County Symphonic Band in the 1970s. At various times, Toby’s children have also played with the Tri-County Symphonic Band. Toby Monte, Jr. is a superb euphonium player and his twin brother, Daniel, is an excellent percussionist. David Monte is an accomplished French horn player. Toby’s brother, Michael, has played with the band as a bass clarinetist as well as an E-flat clarinetist. David Monte’s fiancé, Angela Reed, has played with the band on tuba.
The musical heritage started by Toby Monte’s great-grandfather continues in other ways. Both of Michael Monte’s children share their musical talents. Michael, Jr. is a percussionist and daughter, Meghan, is a violinist. Toby Monte conducts the Marion Concert Band, is a music professor at University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth and finds the time to play organ and direct the choir at St. John of God Church in Somerset. He has also shared his talents for conducting and teaching with the Southeastern Massachusetts Youth Orchestras. Both Toby and Michael have been members of the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra. Toby Monte continues to be proud of the musical legacy that began with his great-grandfather back in 1912 and he vows to continue it in many ways through playing, teaching, conducting, and directing musical organizations of various kinds. He also encourages his offspring to carry on the legacy into the future with even more musical Montes. While another legacy as large as the Montes’ is unlikely, the families of the Tri-County Symphonic Band will always be a significant part of the band’s success.
Toby Monte will be performing all of the parts of a seven-trumpet arrangement of “The Star-Spangled Banner” in a virtual format, on the upcoming Tri-County Symphonic Band concert “March Musical Mosaic – A Virtual Offering.” The concert will be aired at 3:00 pm on Sunday, March 21. Please visit https://tricountysymphonicband.org for more information.