EVENTS AT BOECKMANN CENTER COMMEMORATE WAR CENTENNIAL.

Byline: Ivan Sciupac Daily News Staff Writer

The Boeckmann Center for Iberian and Latin American Studies at USC kicked off a series of events Sunday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Spanish-American War.

The opening events included a performance of 19th-century music from Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico and the United States by Cuban-American pianist Nohema Fernandez and the unveiling of an exhibit of memorabilia from the war, including photographs, letters, news clippings and editorial cartoons.

The Boeckmann Center was established by longtime Valley civic leaders Bert and Jane Boeckmann through their donation of 100,000 volumes and an endowment to care for the collection. Bert Boeckmann owns Galpin Ford and is a member of the Los Angeles Police Commission. Jane Boeckmann is publisher of Valley Magazine.

The Spanish-American War commemoration, ``1898, Memories of a Shared Chapter,'' seeks to unite the different cultures involved in the war.

``We wanted to bring everybody together,'' said Barbara Robinson, head of the Boeckmann Center and curator of the memorabilia exhibit at the Doheny Memorial Library. ``We wanted to do an event that would be an umbrella for more than one culture.''

The Spanish-American War of 1898 liberated Cuba from Spain and ceded the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico to the U.S. The commemoration events seek to recognize the cultural history that resulted from the war, rather than its military aspects.

Fernandez, who has performed in concert halls in Cuba, Mexico, Europe and the United States, played a variety of pieces dating from 1898 for Sunday's concert at United University Church. Included were works by Cuban composer Ignacio Cervantes and Spanish composers Enrique Granados and Isaac Albeniz.

``The music has a lot of connection for all the cultures,'' Fernandez said. ``This music is part of our language.''

After the performance, a reception was held at the Doheny Library to unveil the Treasure Room exhibit. The consul general of Spain, Herminio Morales, and the consul general of the Philippines, Josue L. Villa, were in attendance.

``My motivation (for attending the event) is a commemoration of Spain's rebirth and of a new age - a better age,'' Morales said in Spanish.

Alexander Moore, chairman of the USC anthropology department, said he enjoyed the exhibit.

``We're not here to celebrate a defeat; we're here to celebrate an awakening,'' he said.

The Treasure Room exhibit will be displayed through the end of the year. Upcoming events include videos, lectures and panel discussions. For more information, call [phone].

Sponsors of the event included Ike Massey, president, chief executive officer and publisher of the Daily News. Other sponsors were Dr. L.A. Murillo, Yolanda Lorente, Cacique Inc., Xiomara Restaurant, Dr. and Mrs. Aurelio de la Vega, Patronato Jose Marti, the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, Cervantes Club, Club Hispanico, Troy Philippines, the USC Spanish and history departments, the Spanish Cultural Resource Center at USC, and the Education Office of Spain.

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PHOTO Pianist Nohema Fernandez performs Sunday at the United University Church to commemorate the centennial of the Spanish-American War.

Evan Yee/Daily News