The nugget., March 14, 2018, Page 9, Image 9

Wednesday, March 14, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
9
Local violinist brothers to perform to support raptors
By Jim Anderson
Correspondent
The Oncken brothers,
9-year-old Ezra and 11-year-
old Nicolas have spent their
lives growing up with the
sounds of violin strings as a
part of their lives.
Elder brother Nicolas can
distinctly remember the first
time he heard a violin and how
powerful that moment was —
and so can his mom, Akiko.
“From that first day Nicolas
heard the sweet sounds of the
violin he spent hours practic-
ing his love of the instrument
by holding a frying pan under
his chin and using the first
stick he could find for a bow
and began making the music
he was hearing in his mind,”
Akiko recalled.
It’s a good thing violins
come in all sizes, so people
with short arms can start prac-
ticing with a violin at just
about any size and age.
Both boys started out prac-
ticing on a 1/10-size and are
still working their way up to
the full-size, instrument by
instrument. Ezra is using a
1/4-size violin today that was
built in France, and made
famous in 1941 by winning
a musical instrument contest
in Paris. Nicolas is using a
3/4-size violin.
Both boys each have a per-
sonal three-ring binder that
they use for practicing at home
and take with them to their for-
mal lessons in Eugene every
Saturday with their teacher,
Kara Eubanks. No matter
what the weather, the boys’
dad Scott Oncken loads his
family into the family Toyota
Highlander and off they
go for their weekly lesson.
During those lessons with
Eubanks the boys use their
three-ring binders containing
the printed musical score of
the masters to memorize the
notes, and then work on their
form and develop a personal
style for performing their
work.
And every school morn-
ing both Ezra and Nicolas
tune up their violins and hap-
pily go through 40 minutes of
practice before school, and
then when they get home they
practice again before and after
supper. Mom doesn’t seem to
find it necessary to coax them
into practice times, they both
have such a love for the violin
that practicing is just another
opportunity to get intimate
with their instruments, and
glory in the music it brings
forth as they play.
With such dedication it
isn’t out of the ordinary for
both Ezra and Nicholas to
perform the way they do.
Referencing their upcoming
March 18 recital, a benefit for
Wild Wings Raptor Center,
Ezra especially recalls the
day the center arranged for
their rehabbed great horned
owl, Marly, to visit his class-
room at Cascade Academy,
and how thrilled he was to see
that handsome owl up close.
PHOTO BY JIM ANDERSON
It’s all in the family: Brothers Ezra and Nicolas Oncken of Sisters
discussing the many sizes of violins with their mom, Akiko.
He knows his talented contri-
bution is helping to keep the
rehab operations going, and
he’s looking forward to the
next educational raptor visit.
The Oncken Brothers
Violin Recital is set for
Sunday, March 18, at 2 p.m.
at Sisters Episcopal Church of
the Transfiguration.
Tappy Hour Menu
Tues.-Fri. 4-6 p.m.
TASTY THURSDAY
Mar. 15, 5-7 p.m.
DINNER SPECIAL:
Sat., Mar. 17 - Corned Beef & Shepherd’s Pie
Veterans’ Services
Serving those who’ve served.
541-585-VETS (8387) | www.deschutes.org/vets
LIVE MUSIC
Sat., Mar. 17, 7-9 p.m.
Irish Music by Chris Sepic
391 W. Cascade Ave. | 541-549-2675
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