by Michael Neagoe

If you are interested in Spanish culture and music or want to learn more about it while helping a good cause come to “Spanish Music and Culture Fighting against Cancer” at Bovard Auditorium on Saturday, May 3rd at 6:30pm for the free concert.

The Honorable Inocencio Arias, consul general of Spain to Los Angeles, is hosting the concert that will feature music from composers like Javier Navarrete, (Academy Award Nominee for "Pan’s Labyrinth") Roger Julia, “The Garden of Eden,” and Grammy Award winner Juan Jose Colomer. Benefits will go to The Wellness Community, an organization focused on education and support for individuals who have had cancer.

“People put emphasis on treatment and prevention, but what happens after someone has had cancer?” asks Pablo Ortiz Urbina, co-organizer of the concert, when explaining the choice of the beneficiary organization. With composer and USC alum Oscar Navarro, Urbina has been putting all the pieces together over the last few months.

The connection to after-care for cancer patients stems from Urbina’s own experience with the matter. His mother twice had breast cancer. This tragic event created Urbina’s emotional connection to the care for cancer survivors and has motivated him to help others faced with the same challenges. Urbina has composed a piece for the event, “MIA TErra”, which is dedicated to his mother.

Another motivation for Urbina has been the inherent urgency to “always be active.” A junior majoring in french horn performance at USC, Urbina injured his lip at the beginning of the academic year, which has forced him to stop performing temporarily. Instead of being depressed, he used these eight hours of free-time a day to organize the concert at USC.

What started as a small on-campus recital has turned into a major happening that might feature Los Angeles Lakers star Pau Gasol and Hollywood actor Antonio Banderas.

Urbina has taken an optimistic and proactive approach throughout the planning phases of this event. What started out as a small recital bringing together Spanish musicians and prominent Spanish personalities in Los Angeles quickly grew when Urbina saw the opportunity to organize something grand once he got the additional financial support from organizations like the USC Residential Education Office, Office of Tourism of Spain, and the Thornton School of Music among others.

The increase in size of the event plays into Urbina’s view of learning: “There is nothing more powerful than big events on campus that are genuinely good.”

He says that it is an invaluable lesson for students to learn outside the classroom but more importantly, about how individuals can make a difference if they put their minds to it. “The university wants students to be leaders. Engaging with the community, with organizations and influential people is a big step towards that.”

Urbina found the campus environment to be very beneficial for organizing these kinds of events. “Can you do great things in college? Yes! Although there are land mines along the way, if you push the negative parts out of the way you can always find a path to your goal, especially if the idea is worth the support and your time.” Urbina emphasizes the importance of reaching out to people, building a network and talking to everyone in achieving great things for the community.

The obstacles of organizing such an event are mostly related to lack of support and respect by some of the people or organizations approached.

When asked why some people want to help and others don’t, Urbina answered: “Some people seem to ignore the help they have gotten along the way or are just blind. I don’t believe in people saying ‘I earned it.’ Whatever your convictions, call it god, luck, fate, friends, etc., there must be some support that got you where you are. I want to say in the end that ‘I worked for this.’” Authentic to his statement, Urbina mentions his co-organizer Oscar Navarro every time he talks about the organization of the event.

“If you help others, they will help you. That is my motto.” Urbina repeats the importance of other people and brings across his message of respect towards others. “In today’s world,” he says, “Many people might have the same idea to do an event like this; the level of respect a person brings forth in persuading people of the goodness and purpose of his event is what will eventually make the difference.” He adds, “Always keep a sense of dignity, respect and professional approach in the things you do.”