Born in 1981 in Zagreb, Croatia, Belinić
grew up in the nearby town of Popovača.
When he was eight years old, Belinić became
a national celebrity as the child star of “Tale
from Croatia,” the first film released in newly
independent Croatia. He earned a master’s
degree from the Leopold Mozart Hochschule
für Musik in Augsburg, Germany. Belinić
won the Young Concert Artists European
Auditions in Leipzig, Germany, and the Young
Concert Artists International Auditions in
New York—the only guitarist ever chosen for
the YCA roster.
André
Raphel is Music
Director of
the Wheeling
Symphony
Orchestra,
and previously
served as an
Assistant
Conductor at
the New York
Philharmonic
and Assistant
Conductor of
the Philadelphia
Orchestra. He has conducted throughout the
United States and Europe.
In conjunction with Beethoven’s Symphony
No. 8, the WSO teamed with Westmoreland
County Federated Library System for the
Fall/Winter One Book, One Community
program. Participants read the national
bestseller “Beethoven’s Hair” by Russell
Martin and were invited to the concert. More
than 100 people participated in t