Artistic Portfolio

On stage, in the street, in the room.

Festival performances, carnival direction, concerts and rehearsal — selected work from a career built in front of live audiences.

Video

Live footage

Performance, direction and vocals — on film.

“Communities move together before they think together.”

On direction

Gallery

Selected photography

A curated sequence — direction, ensemble and the street.

Marcos Santana directing his percussion ensemble before a performance — Directing the ensembleMusical direction

Percussion band led through the street at carnival — Notting Hill CarnivalLondon

Tribo ensemble in performance kit at a festival — Festival main stageLive

Community drummers gathered before a procession — Before the processionCommunity

Live performance detail — hands on the strings — Live performanceDetail

Tribo band members in branded kit at Latino Life in the Park — Latino Life in the ParkJoga Bonito Stage

Marcos Santana in feather headdress at Notting Hill Carnival surrounded by drummers — Notting Hill CarnivalLondon

Marcos Santana conducting a large percussion ensemble through the streets at Marseille Pride — Marseille Pride — leading the cortègeMarseille, July 2026

Marcos Santana playing caixa at the head of the Marseille Pride parade — At the head of the paradeMarseille Pride 2026

Marcos Santana in white and gold carnival kit playing snare drum in the street — White and goldMarseille Pride 2026

Wide view of the percussion ensemble and crowd filling the street at Marseille Pride — The street answers backMarseille Pride 2026

Credits

Performance and direction

Notting Hill Carnival

Musical direction, percussion section leadership

Preparing and directing large ensembles for Europe's largest street carnival — arrangement, rehearsal programme and live command of the section across the route.

Latino Life

Performance, musical direction

Recurring appearances within the UK's Latin American festival circuit, working with rotating line-ups of Brazilian and Latin American musicians.

Sabor Brazil

Curation, direction, performance

Programming Brazilian repertoire for British audiences: choosing the artists, shaping the running order and holding the musical standard on the night.

Concerts & club shows

Percussionist, band leader

Ensemble and solo percussion across venues, cultural centres and private events, from intimate acoustic settings to full amplified bands.

Project artwork

Billing and campaign material.

Posters and promotional artwork from projects Marcos has performed on and directed.

Latino Life in the Park poster featuring Tribo on the Joga Bonito Stage — Latino Life in the ParkJoga Bonito Stage — billing

Tribo crew at the Latino Life in the Park backdrop — Latino Life — crewFestival day

Composition

Samba de Raiz.

An original composition — written, arranged and performed by Marcos Santana, rooted in the samba tradition of Bahia and carried into the UK.

Original composition — music and lyrics

Performance experience

Where the work happens.

Carnival, festival, concert, community — the same standard in every setting.

Notting Hill Carnival

Percussion direction on Europe's largest street carnival, preparing large sections to move and sound as one.

Latino Life

Recurring festival appearances, including the Joga Bonito Stage at Latino Life in the Park.

Sabor Brazil

Curation and musical direction of Brazilian programming for British audiences.

Festivals

Main stages and outdoor programmes across the United Kingdom and Europe.

Corporate events

Bespoke Brazilian sets and interactive drumming for private and corporate clients.

Community performances

Processions, street events and neighbourhood celebrations with participants of every age.

Live music

Percussion and band leadership in venues, cultural centres and clubs.

Brazilian cultural events

Programmes that present Afro-Brazilian repertoire with cultural accuracy and respect.