The Suzanne And Charles Wells Choral Scholarship Awardee Archive
2025 - Norah Lougachi
The Suzanne and Charles Wells Choral Scholarship The Handel Week family is delighted to announce that Norah Lougachi is the Charles and Sue Wells Choral Scholar for the 2025 Festival Season! Here is a little about her:
Norah Lougachi is a 17-year-old soprano and a senior at Oak Park and River Forest High School in Oak Park, Illinois. Norah's opera experience began in the Summer of 2022 when she performed as part of the ensemble in an opera called “Future Perfect,” which included present and former members of Chicago's Lyric Opera. She has been playing piano since the age of four and has learned all seven Suzuki piano books and more than 100 classical piano pieces. In the Summer of 2023, Norah auditioned for and was selected to attend the Young Artists Vocal Program at Boston University's Tanglewood Institute (BUTI). While at BUTI, Norah worked with present and former opera professionals. The highlight of her time at BUTI was performing as part of a choir with the Boston Pops and conductor John Williams to a sold-out audience at the Tanglewood Shed. By invitation, Norah attended the Young Artists Vocal Program at BUTI in the Summer of 2024. She was also a student ambassador for BUTI's program. While at BUTI, Norah took classes in Italian diction, music theory and vocal literature. She performed twice with BUTI's choir at Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood. Norah's first year solo at BUTI was Lascia ch'io pianga by Handel, and she sang the Sandman's Aria from Hansel and Gretel in an opera scene performance. Her second-year solo at BUTI was Hai luli by Pauline Viardot, and she played the Countess and sang Sull'aria from Le Nozze di Figaro for her opera scene. Norah has performed extensively with six different choirs at her high school. Norah is also a member of a professional all-girls treble choir outside of her high school called Spirito Singers, Bravura Ensemble (Bravura). She has performed with Bravura in the Joffrey Ballet's Nutcracker, and in numerous events featuring Chicago-based choirs. In the Spring of 2024, Norah traveled with Bravura and performed in France at the American Cemetery in Normandy, La Madeline Church in Paris and Château Royal de Blois in the Loire Valley. Norah was a featured soloist at all three locations. In the Spring of 2024, Norah competed in the Unity Temple Vocal Competition in Oak Park, Illinois. She sang Lascia ch'io pianga by Handel, and Love's Philosophy by Quilter. She was a competition winner. In the Fall of 2024, Norah competed in the Suzanne and Charles Wells Choral Scholarship Competition. She sang Và godendo by Handel. She won the competition. Norah was a semi-finalist in Butler University's 2023 Vocal Competition. Norah participates in service opportunities where she has been inspired to give back to the community through service-based projects. She has consistently been an Honor Roll and Dean's List student. Her favorite subject is French, which she has been studying for 7 years, and she is working to become fluent in the language. She was recently inducted into the French Honor Society. She loves all things French, especially the culture and buttery croissants.
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.
