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It started, for Predrag Gosta, with a mysterious black box hidden in the shadows of a closet in Belgrade.

"My father had an old violin," he explains. "I was 6 years old and I was fascinated: ‘Wow! What is in that black box?'"

Gosta, 36, speaks with the musical accent of Eastern Europe. He describes himself as "Belgradian." The land he was born in, Yugoslavia, split into half a dozen smaller countries and Gosta, the son of a Croatian mother and a Serbian dad, identifies strongly with his native city. But Gosta's in America now; after a decade in Atlanta, he's a U.S. citizen, living in North Bethesda and taking on the role of assistant conductor and artistic director of the National Philharmonic Singers. It has been a hectic summer, working with the National Philharmonic Summer Institute and putting together "Flaming Heart," his concert debut conducting the National Philharmonic Singers on Saturday.

"I really looked forward to seeing Washington, D.C.," he says, "but — believe it or not — since I've been here, I've been downtown only twice!"

The museums and monuments will have to wait. Gosta was determined to bring his own brand of early baroque music to the area, and has perfected a program with works by composers including John Ward, John Bennett, Heinrich Sch½tz and Pavel Chesnokov.

"It will be great to establish a relationship," he says, looking forward to meeting his Montgomery County audience. "We thrive on relationships. If we are united, we are stronger."

‘Sing, Figaro!'

The maestro is a study in contrasts, a deeply spiritual man who grew up happily under communism in Eastern Europe and contemplated the priesthood before choosing music — and a stint of compulsory service in the Yugoslav army.

"Being in the military is very challenging, especially from the perspective that I am coming from," he says.

Gosta had studied music — violin first, then a variety of instruments like piano, organ and harpsichord, plus voice — throughout his childhood, winning prizes in competitions and scholarships to exclusive state-sponsored schools. The ease of that life ended abruptly when he entered the military.

"It's a good thing," he says, "You can learn a lot about life. Number one: ‘Where is your place?'

"You learn how to obey, how to serve, how to find smart ways and make the right decisions."

The classical musician from the big city learned to live with less well-educated country folk, some of whom jokingly called him ‘Figaro.'

"I needed to sing on order," he laughs. "‘Sing, Figaro!'

"I learned to type on a big old regular typewriter, and then I was the adjutant of the commander of the regiment."

Gosta was in the army for 15 months. During those pre-Balkan War days, he says, "the army was full of everyone — Bosnians, Croats, Slovenians. It was multinational, always was. In Yugoslavia, that was a normal and natural thing."

He was ready to bring his music to a new level, and after his military service ended, he decided to go back to school. In 1996, he headed to London.

Hearts afire

Gosta calls baroque music "my first love.

"In London, I was interested in studying the historic performance of early music: the period instruments, the techniques and manners of singing as they were used in old times," he says.

He was becoming more and more interested in conducting, too, and while pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies at Trinity College of Music, founded New Trinity Baroque, a period instrument orchestra. Then Gosta headed to the U.S. to study further, earning three master of music degrees from the Georgia State University in Atlanta, bringing New Trinity Baroque to Atlanta, and serving as music director and conductor of the orchestra of Atlanta's Gwinnett Ballet Theatre — when he wasn't lecturing, teaching master classes and studying further in St. Petersburg, Russia.

"Piotr Gajewski called me when I was in Belgrade," Gosta says, referring to the National Philharmonic's conductor and artistic director. Gajewski was searching for an assistant conductor and artistic director, and "How shall I put it?" Gosta says, "I won!"

That's what brought him to the area, and he's hoping that "Flaming Heart" will be his introduction to Montgomery County music lovers.

"I want it to be music that will awaken your heart," he says, noting that the program is ecumenical and can be perceived from secular as well as religious points of view.

"It's about love," he says. "Your heart is flaming to your loved one — Catholic, Episcopalian, rock and roll, punk culture. It's beautiful and catching!"

It's also free and open to the public. The National Philharmonic Singers have been performing at Christ Episcopal for years now, Gosta says, and he's eager to bring something unique to the choir, something for everyone.

"I try to merge multiple themes," he says, "I like to profess the theory of inclusiveness."

And the mystery, too — Gosta is open to almost anything except a program his audience has heard before.

"I want them to hear something unique," he says.

Thirty years after discovering music, he's still looking for the "wow."

The National Philharmonic Singers will perform "Flaming Heart," a concert of sacred and secular a cappella works, at 8 p.m. Saturday in Christ Episcopal Church, 107 South Washington St., Rockville. Admission is free. Log on to www.nationalphilharmonic.org