Nickolas Carlson

Conductor & Music Director

Nickolas Carlson is a conductor, organist, and collaborative pianist from Lindsborg, KS. Nickolas is the music director and conductor of the Olympia Chamber Orchestra and Director of Music Ministry at The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd in Olympia, WA. In addition, he is the conductor of the SPSCC orchestra, and the conductor of the Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia (SOGO) Philharmonic, he is the Music Director for Pacific Northwest Theater. In the fall of 2022, Nickolas traveled to Bulgaria to guest conduct the Vratsa Symphony with soloists Hye-Kyeong Cho and Crystal Zimmerman.

Nickolas received his Masters of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Wichita State University under Dr. Mark Laycock in the spring of 2016. He received his Bachelors of Music in Organ Performance from Bethany College in Lindsborg, KS under Dr. Melody Steed. 

In addition to his studies at Wichita State, Nickolas has also studied or participated in masterclasses with Dianne Wittry, Anna Edwards, and Roupen Shakarian.

Nickolas has guest conducted with the Messiah Singalong in Chehalis, WA, the Pacific Northwest Chamber Orchestra, the Bethany College/Lindsborg Orchestra. He was the music director for WSU's production of J.P. Rameau's Les Indes Galantes, a collaboration between the Opera and Dance departments, in the spring of 2016. In the summer of 2018, he conducted Handel’s Rinaldo with Chicago Summer Opera.

Meet Our Board of Directors

  • The Olympia Chamber Orchestra is a growing organization with a big heart. As a musician and educator, I am continually looking for opportunities to promote the arts and build greater community. The Olympia Chamber Orchestra’s mission aligns with these goals and I am proud to come alongside this organization to further realize them.

  • I’m Sophie (Sophia) Apgar, and I serve as Treasurer for the Olympia Chamber Orchestra. I’m a proud member of the French Horn section, and my journey with music began back in middle school. I didn’t join my first orchestra until college, where I discovered a deep love for Romantic-era repertoire. I joined OCO as a player in 2023 and became a board member in 2024 because I wanted to help our orchestra continue sharing the joy of music with the community. Over the years, I’ve taken on multiple roles within the board, always ready to step in where needed. When I’m not playing horn in orchestras around Olympia, I work as a school psychologist in Yelm, Washington, and enjoy exploring all kinds of fiber arts.

  • Ryne first collaborated with the Olympia Chamber Orchestra as a member of the St. Martin's chorus while studying his undergrad and has since returned as both a choir member and soloist. He believes community orchestras are vital for making classical music accessible and affordable. Outside of OCO, Ryne works with Tacoma Opera and a number of other local organizations and performs in a rock band.

  • Hi, I’m Katie Boschee, Secretary for the Olympia Chamber Orchestra. Music has been part of my life since childhood, and I love how it brings people together, creating connection and joy across all walks of life, a value I see reflected in OCO every day. I work in public service, and my passion for community and music drives my involvement with the orchestra. Outside of OCO, I enjoy time with my husband Daniel, our pets Stella and Mac, family and friends, and exploring whatever new hobby catches my curiosity each month.

  • I have been a cellist with the Olympia Chamber Orchestra for over 15 years and now, also a  board member for this amazing organization!  As an Alumni of North Thurston High School, I have grown up in the wonderful South Sound area and now raise two boys here with my husband Erik.  Being a local, I greatly enjoy that we are made up of musicians from our own community; bringing the necessity of live, classical music to our area.  In addition to the OCO, I teach private lessons and play with the Cascadia Chamber Players, a brilliant quartet that has performed at our local schools and retirement communities.  I am excited about OCO’s vision and excited, also, to be a part of the energy and passion found in our board members to continue to grow our orchestra.