Wednesday, January 25, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Land damage
during refuge
takeover
estimated
at $108K
Young violinist impresses Sisters audience
By Jim Anderson
Correspondent
Sunday afternoon a musi-
cal event took place in the
Episcopal Church of the
Transfiguration that was truly
remarkable. Ten-year-old
Nicolas Oncken, violinist, and
his accompanist, Stephanie
King, played together in a
recital that audience members
thought worthy of Carnegie
Hall.
Thanks to the friendship
that exists between Nicolas’s
mom, Ikako, and Sharlene
Weed of Sisters Habitat
for Humanity, the idea for
Habitat to sponsor the recital
became reality with the pro-
ceeds going toward a Habitat
home that’s being built for the
Brinkman family of Sisters.
Nicolas Oncken has been
studying the violin since he
was 4. He is currently work-
ing with Professor Kara
Eubanks of the Willamette
Violin Academy in Eugene.
King teaches piano and is
the musical director of the
Episcopal Church of the
Transfiguration in Sisters.
Oncken’s first piece was
a Concert Grosso in F Major,
Op. 6 No. 9 by A. Corelli, and
this is what Nicolas had to say
about it: “Arcangelo Corelli
(1653-1713) wrote this for
string orchestra around 1712,
about a year before he died.
I will be playing the third
movement, the Courante,
which literally means run-
ning, and in later years it as
danced with fast running and
jumping steps. I enjoy this
Courante for its movement
and melody. It echoes through
the room when I’m playing it,
a sound that fills my home
with warmth.”
The church was also filled
with that warmth as he and
Stephanie played, and all the
while the audience was cap-
tivated by the balanced and
beautiful sounds of piano and
violin.
There were four planned
pieces on the program: the
“Third Movement from a
Violin Sonata in D Major,” by
Corelli; “Sonata in A Major,”
by G.F Handel; “Cello Suite
No. 1 in G Major,” by Bach;
and “Concert in A Minor”
by J.S. Bach — all of which
were delightfully described
by Nicolas and played with-
out flaw. The fourth piece,
“Sonata in A Major,” by G. F.
Handel was unaccompanied.
And then came the
encores, played to a standing
ovation.
Stephanie King had this to
say about her violin partner:
“Nicolas is a pleasure to work
with. He is mature beyond
his years, in his commitment
to excellence, his poise, and
his musicality and expres-
siveness as a musician. It is
usually very tricky for kids to
understand how to work with
a pianist; however, Nicolas
and I were right in sync. I
look forward to future musi-
cal endeavors together.”
It is usually very tricky
for kids to understand
how to work with a
pianist; however, Nicolas
and I were right in sync.
— Stephanie King
The Oncken home is filled
with music, especially violins.
Nicolas’ brother Ezra doesn’t
need to be coaxed to pick
up his violin and play a duet
with his older brother every
moment he can. Together,
they make for happy and
sweet music for the entire
family home.
“It is fun and helpful
because instead of watching
someone else play and wait
your turn, I get to play at the
same time and learn,” Ezra
said. “It’s so nice to play with
him because I get to have a
companion to play with and
look up to. I really enjoy it a
lot. He is my big buddy and
he teaches me a lot by what
he does.”
Their mom, Akiko, rev-
els in the talents of her two
boys, and offers this small
glimpse into their family life:
“Watching my sons play the
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Nicolas Oncken, violinist extraordinaire, and his talented piano
accompanist, Stephanie King.
violin, and assisting them in a classical music lover. I have
their practice, have allowed learned so much about how a
me the opportunity to get human being develops hab-
to know their personality, its (good and bad), how our
learning style, and incred- brain works to integrate new
ible depth that each one information.”
“Playing violin is a fun
of them brings out as they
express intense emotions, and interesting skill,” said
stories and ideas through Nicolas. “It is exhilarating to
play violin, and with good
music.
“Thanks to wonderful practice, I get to meet amaz-
teachers that have guided me ing teachers and artists that
as a parent coach at home, I teach me technique and tone
feel lucky that it has allowed as well as give me advice.
me to develop an intimate And then, in performances,
relationship with my sons. It I get to share what I have
is an incredible treat for me as learned with others.”
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— Since 1997 —
15
PORTLAND (AP) —
Federal authorities say it cost
more than $100,000 to repair
two trenches and a road dug
during the occupation of a
federal wildlife refuge in
Oregon last winter.
The
Oregonian/
OregonLive reported
Wednesday that Jake Ryan
and Duane Ehmer are charged
with depredation of gov-
ernment property for dig-
ging trenches on part of the
Malheur National Wildlife
Refuge that’s considered an
archaeological site.
The FBI hired an expert
to assess the area after the
41-day occupation to deter-
mine whether the damage
violated the Archaeological
Resources Protection Act.
Attorneys for Ryan and
Ehmer say the pair hasn’t
been charged with violating
the federal act because they
didn’t know the site had any
archaeological significance.
They’ve asked the court to
prevent prosecutors from
mentioning the repair costs
to jurors during next month’s
trial. But prosecutors argue
the repair costs are relevant to
support the charges.
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391 W. Cascade Ave. | 541-549-2675
Celebrate Quilting!
Local Quilt Shop Day
Saturday, January 28
The Stitchin’ Post is taking part in this national
celebration from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Come and “Quilt ’til you Wilt”!
Designed to be a day to gather together to appreciate our
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311 W.
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