The Suzanne And Charles Wells Choral Scholarship Awardee Archive
2023 - Bradley Reichardt
The Suzanne and Charles Wells Choral Scholarship The Handel Week family is delighted to announce that Bradley Reichardt is the Charles and Sue Wells Choral Scholar for the 2023 Festival Season! Here is a little about him:
Bradley Reichardt, 17, is a senior at Oak Park and River Forest High School. He has sung in the Schola and Madrigal choirs at Grace Episcopal church in Oak park since he was 6. Bradley also plays the clarinet, and has played in the OPRF marching Huskies, concert band, and symphonic band.
Bradley is planning on studying math and science as well as continuing his study of music in college.
2022 - Jax Bukalski
The Handel Week family is delighted to announce that Jax Bukalski is the Charles and Sue Wells Choral Scholar for the 2022 Festival Season! Here is a little about her:
Jax Bukalski is a senior at Oak Park and River Forest High School and has been participating in music programs of some sort for most of her life. When she was little, Jax always loved singing along to the radio. In fact, on her first day of preschool, she introduced herself by saying "My name is Jackie and I'm a little girl, with a very BIG voice!" Ms. Bukalski took private voice lessons for about a year and then joined the choir at school in 4th grade. She also started playing the trumpet in the school band, and in 5th grade joined the Schola choir at Grace Episcopal Church. In middle school, her schedule allowed only one music program, so she played in band, jazz band and the Orff ensemble at school. Jax joined the Madrigal choir in 7th grade, while also singing with the Schola choir. She also sang for three years with the St. Christopher's Treble choir. Through the pandemic lockdowns of 2020, she continued to rehearse with the Madrigal choir online and both sang and played trumpet for the fanfares for the online Boar's Head performance. Jax has participated in musical theater summer camp through The Actors Garden, and plays the trumpet in high-school marching and concert bands. As a Sophomore, Ms. Bukalski auditioned into Wind Ensemble, the highest of four bands at OPRF High School. Now a Senior, she'd played in that band for three years. Music has always been a really big part of Jax's life and she intends to participate in music programs in college even if it is not part of her major.
