SOUNDSCAPES: Domenico Pontoriero and Victor Minke Huls

In this episode of Soundscapes, host Domenico Pontoriero sits down with cellist and conductor Victor Minke Huls for a conversation about a life shaped by classical music, collaboration, and community. Victor shares his journey from growing up in a musical family to becoming Associate Principal Cellist of The Florida Orchestra, as well as his work conducting and mentoring the next generation of musicians through the Pinellas Youth Symphony. The conversation explores the value of youth orchestras, the richness of St. Pete’s classical music scene, and Victor’s own podcast, The Classical Scene.

Domenico and Victor also discuss their own musical collaboration, including the new Boy in the Rain single “Caldera,” out this week, which features Victor on cello. Their conversation also touches on the creative freedom of making music simply because you love doing it.  

Artist Bio: Victor Minke Huls

Victor Minke Huls is a cellist, conductor, and pianist currently serving as Associate Principal Cellist of The Florida Orchestra. An accomplished orchestral musician, he previously served as Principal Cellist of the Amarillo Symphony and as a cello fellow with the New World Symphony, and has performed with ensembles including the Jacksonville Symphony, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Nu Deco Ensemble, and Aspen Chamber Symphony.

Victor holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in orchestral conducting from Northwestern University and dual master's degrees in cello performance and orchestral conducting from the University of Michigan. In the Tampa Bay area, he also conducts the Serenade Strings of the Pinellas Youth Symphony and is active as a performer, educator, and advocate for classical music.
Victor also hosts The Classical Scene on Radio St. Pete, where he highlights classical musicians, ensembles, educators, and organizations throughout the region, helping listeners discover the remarkable breadth of classical music happening in their own community. 

https://www.victorminkehuls.com

https://audioboom.com/channels/1842136-radio-st-pete-podcast-archive?search=classical+scene 

About Domenico Pontoriero

Domenico Pontoriero is a St. Petersburg–based artist, composer, and radio host working across instrumental music, film, and community arts. He releases music under the moniker Boy in the Rain, an instrumental project with two studio albums available on all major streaming platforms and at BoyintheRain.com. An award-winning filmmaker, Domenico’s short art film has screened at more than 15 film festivals worldwide, including the SunScreen Film Festival in St. Petersburg. His creative work is rooted in atmosphere, storytelling, and place—whether through sound, image, or live broadcast.

Domenico brings years of experience behind the microphone, including his time at WMNF in Tampa, where he co-hosted Made in the Dark. He currently hosts Soundscapes, airing Monday nights at 10 PM, a weekly program dedicated to immersive, locally made instrumental music. Soundscapes highlights regional composers, nurtures creative community, and supports the performing arts scene throughout the St. Petersburg area.

The show is accompanied by the Soundscapes podcast, where Domenico interviews guest co-hosts featured on the program, offering listeners a deeper look into their creative processes, influences, and artistic journeys.

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