By Beth Perdue, Standard-Times correspondent

 While Marion may not have a full-scale professional orchestra along the lines of the Boston Symphony, it makes the best of what it does have -- a beautiful seaside setting to attract nationally prominent orchestra musicians to town each summer to perform in the annual Buzzards Bay Musicfest. 

 The brainchild of Maestro Russell Patterson, formerly of the Kansas City Orchestra and Lyric Opera, the four-day musical series offers orchestral and chamber music programs for all who choose to come hear it. The best part is, Maestro Patterson and organizers do it all for free. 

 Now in its sixth year, the festival that opens Wednesday began when Mr. Patterson was planning to retire from his Kansas City positions and live year-round in his Cape Cod home in Centerville. At the request of fellow musicians, he began organizing a festival close to home and approached Tabor Academy to see if it would be willing to host the event. The school offered the use of the Fireman Performing Arts Center. Since then, the festival has been held annually, with no plans to stop. 

 Each year, about 30 musicians make the trek from all over the country, including California, Kansas and Pennsylvania, and are warmly welcomed by the local community. 

 This year, the musicians hit town on Tuesday in time to practice together once or twice before performing Wednesday evening. 

 "Pretty much the same musicians come back year after year," Buzzards Bay Musicfest President Trudy Kingery said. "They stay in individual homes and they are staying in the same homes again this year." 

 It's a rewarding exchange for both the town and the musicians. 

 According to Ms. Kingery, the host families love having the musicians stay as much as the musicians enjoy coming. "They love listening to them practice," she said. 

 The event has been growing steadily in popularity, but was a hit right from the beginning. This year's performances will be held on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, with Tabor Academy once again playing host to the concerts. 

 Several hundred people turned out the first year and last year's performances almost hit capacity in the 660-seat auditorium. 

 Ms. Kingery said that organizers hope to fill the auditorium this year, particularly for the orchestral concerts, which typically draw a larger crowd than the chamber music programs. 

 This year's repertoire features selections from Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Brahms and Schubert with two orchestra concerts and two chamber music performances taking place. The musicians will perform under the direction of Maestro Patterson, who also selects the repertoire each year. 

 Wednesday evening at 8 p.m., the orchestra will perform J.C. Bach's Sinfonia in D Major, Opus 18, No. 4; Sibelius' Pelleas and Melisande, Opus 46; J.S. Bach's Air for Strings from Suite No. 3; and Haydn's Symphony No. 101 in D ("The Clock"). Chamber music programs will be offered at 8 p.m. Thursday and Saturday. The first program offers Gounod's Petite Symphony for Winds and Brahms' Piano Quintet in F Minor. Saturday's program features Quantz's Trio for Oboe, Flute and Violin; Schubert's Trout Quintet; and Strauss' Serenade for 13 Instruments. 

 The final orchestra concert, at 2 p.m. Sunday, features Mozart's Divertimento No. 2 in D; Handel-Harty's Suite from the Water Music; Borodin's Nocturne, and Bizet's Symphony in C Major. 

 For the second year in a row, event organizers are including an open rehearsal for children at 2 p.m. Wednesday. Last year's rehearsal was a big success, drawing about 200 children and adults. Children were treated to an informal question-and-answer period with the musicians during intermission and also after the rehearsal concluded. 

 One ambitious child even asked to try violinist Julian Hallmark's instrument. The request was granted and the child played for several minutes. 

 This year, the same format will be offered again, and Ms. Kingery said she and other organizers are hoping for an even better turnout. 

 "This is your future audience," she said, noting that most of the children who participated were already budding musicians. 

 All concerts will be performed in the Fireman Performing Arts Center, Front Street, Marion. Admission is free. 

This story appeared on Page D3 of The Standard-Times on July 7, 2002.