Cellist Linda Minke began playing with the Peninsula Music Festival orchestra when she was a graduate student of Peter Spurbeck at University of Memphis (formerly Memphis State University.) The year was 1983, the first of the two-year conductor search for the Festival. Since that time, Linda hasn’t missed a season, even the year she had her infant son, Victor Minke Huls, in her arms. Staying at the Countryside Motel every year has provided an easy access for Minke to spend time in the beloved Peninsula State Park, but Newport State Park is perhaps her favorite spot on the planet so far. For many years Linda played as a member of the Sunset String Quartet on the Sunset Concert Cruises out of Gills Rock. She also is devoted to Door Shakespeare and has played for some of the Gala events with violinist Max Huls and their son, Victor. All this, combined with her total admiration and respect for conductor Victor Yampolsky, has made August unquestionably Linda’s favorite time of the year!
Minke started playing cello in the public school system in Rochester, Michigan, after having studied piano and viola. She earned two bachelors degrees (one in Music Performance and the other in Music Education) at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan. While a student there, Ms. Minke learned of the PMF but had no idea that some day she would become a member!
Currently Linda is living in Jacksonville, FL, free-lancing, teaching, and playing with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. She has retired from her previous job as home-school teacher.