Bruno Bjelinski

Who was Bruno Bjelinski?

Bruno Bjelinski was a Croatian composer.

Bjelinski was born in Trieste into a Jewish family. He changed his surname from Weiss to Bjelinski. He doctored in law at the University of Zagreb and later studied music at the Zagreb Academy of Music under Blagoje Bersa and Franjo Dugan. Bjelinski started composing in the 1930s with two sonatas for violin and piano. During the World War II he was sent to a concentration camp, but in 1943, with the help of a friend, he escaped and joined the Partisans on the island of Korčula. At the end of the war he lived alternately on island Vis and in the Italian city of Bari. He taught at the Academy from 1945 to 1977. Bjelinski's music is described as being direct and optimistic, his fresh style lending itself to both serious music and music for children. Bjelinski composed six operas, three ballets, 15 symphonies, 2 cello concertos, a cantata, piano music, songs, chamber music, and concertos for piano, violin, viola, bassoon, flute, and piano duo. He also composed music for Croatian football movie Plavi 9. He died on island Silba.