Interview, Victor Antonetti

Victor Antonetti was born in Salinas, Puerto Rico, in 1948 and moved to Rochester in 1956, when he was eight years old. In 1970, he and his brothers and uncles formed the Antonetti Orchestra (Orquesta Antonetti). The group began as a salsa orchestra, but expanded to include all genres of Latin music, including merengue, tango, mambo, and jazz. The Antonetti Orchestra steadily gained recognition in the Rochester area and Victor Antonetti was invited to perform as a guest with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

This interview discusses Victor Antonetti’s personal and family histories, but focuses heavily on his passion for music and how he became involved with the Rochester music scene. Antonetti describes how he was exposed to music by his family and his community and how he originally began playing drums. He also gives an in-depth explanation of the evolution of his band, the Antonetti Orchestra.