Westlake vocalists sing for Polish charity

SINGER WITH A CAUSE— Ilona Europa encourages her select group of music students to give back to the world. The young women will perform at a benefit concert this weekend. Seven students from Oak Woods Vocal Academy in Westlake Village will participate in an internationally televised benefit to raise funds for Polish children in need of medical attention.

The third annual concert will feature an array of American and Polish artists, but the Oak Woods students are being offered more than just an opportunity to show off their singing talents.

Ilona Europa, the academy’s artistic director and a renowned vocalist, believes in teaching her students more than vocal training and performance and studio techniques. Europa expects her select group of protegés to learn the importance of giving back to the community.

This weekend, they will have that opportunity.

Performers include Kim Sterling from Thousand Oaks High School, Madeline Ajakh from Oak Hills Elementary School in Oak Park, Camille Stephens from La Reina High School, Aspen Weinerman from Agoura High School, Kristina Mota from Newbury Park High School, and Natasha Mira, Europa’s sixthgrade daughter who attends Medea Creek Middle School in Oak Park.

Rochelle “M,” a 20-year-old Moorpark resident, will also perform, as will Europa.

Money raised at the concert will fund the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, one of the largest charitable organizations in Poland, which at first used contributions to purchase medical equipment for Poland’s Children’s Hospital.

After raising $50 million, the foundation expanded its reach in Poland to other causes that benefit children, including health education, preventive medicine and other humanitarian efforts.

According to Jonathan Todd of Sabre Entertaiment Group, the agency that represents Europa and the students, the foundation is “also a powerful medium spreading the ideology of kindness, friendship, tolerance and openness.”

Europa said there is limited public healthcare in Poland and hospitals had been in critical need of medical equipment and supplies. In 10 years, the foundation completed eight projects and purchased medical equipment for numerous pediatric divisions specializing in cardio-surgery, neonatal medicine, oncology, post-traumatic surgery, pediatric nephrology, diagnostics, newborn surgery and other medical conditions affecting children.

In all, 10,000 pieces of equipment were bought and distributed to hospitals through the foundation, including ambulances, incubators, physiologic monitors, infant ventilators, beds, anti-sore mattresses and other critical supplies.

A singer/songwriter, Europa gained fame in her native Poland before coming to the United States 15 years ago. A graduate of the highest music academy in Eastern Europe, she was hired by Sony to record a vocal library to be used by professionals scoring film and TV. In 2005, she received the World Peace Music Awards, along with the Black-Eyed Peas, Lionel Ritchie, and Peter, Paul and Mary. 

The charity concert will be televised in Poland, along with satellite broadcasts of simultaneous fundraisers in numerous countries worldwide.

Miss Polonia California and a variety of other established Polish performers will participate in the concert. There will be a live auction and authentic Polish food will be available.

The event is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sun., Jan. 8 at Lincoln Middle School in Santa Monica and is free to the public.

Lincoln Middle School is at 1501 California Ave., Santa Monica. For further information, visit www.PolishEventsLA.com.