Contact Us
Varsity VocalsHeadquarters1547 N. North Park Avenue #1
Chicago, Illinois 60610
phone: (312) 636-8855
info@varsityvocals.com
The Varsity Vocals Staff
| Headquarters: | |
| Executive Director | Amanda Newman |
| Executive Producer | Rob Newman |
| ICCA: | |
| South Producer | |
| West Producer | |
| Midwest Producer | Julie Moffit |
| MidAtlantic Producer | Maxine Sharavsky |
| Northeast Producer | Maxine Sharavsky |
| Europe Producer | Alexandra Godfree |
| ICHSA: | |
| Northeast Producer | Maxine Sharavsky |
| Midwest Producer | Andrea Kovac |
| Southeast Producer | |
| West Producer |
Amanda Newman
Executive Director
Presently in her sixth season as Executive Director, Amanda
Newman has also served as the ICCA Midwest Producer. She came to Varsity Vocals
after serving as business manager and choreographer for the University of Illinois
a cappella group, No Strings Attached, and was awarded for Best Choreography
at the ICCA Midwest Semifinals. Amanda holds a master's degree in journalism
from the University of Illinois. She plays piano and cello and has sung with
the University of Illinois Concert Choir, the Augustana Choir and the Handel
Oratorio Society. Amanda has served as Publicity Manager for the Apollo Chorus
of Chicago and Operations Coordinator for Ravinia Festival's Steans Institute
for Young Artists.
Rob Newman
Executive Producer
Rob Newman has served as Executive Producer for Varsity Vocals
since 2004. He is an intellectual property attorney at Winston & Strawn
LLP in Chicago, where he focuses his practice in trademark, copyright, entertainment,
and Internet legal issues. His a cappella experience includes a three-year stint
as music director of the University of Illinois a cappella group, No Strings
Attached, in which he led the group to their first BOCA appearance, a first
place finish in the ICCA Midwest Quarterfinals and two third-place finishes
in the ICCA Midwest Semifinals. Rob has studied jazz and classical piano and
has sung with the University of Illinois Varsity Men's Glee Club and the Apollo
Chorus of Chicago.
Julie Moffitt
ICCA Midwest Producer
Julie Moffitt has served as ICCA Midwest Producer since 2005.
Her a cappella career began in high school, during her two years as a member
of the Wisconsin State Honors Jazz Choir. She attended the University of Southern
California, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a minor in
jazz studies. At USC, Julie sang with the studio honors vocal jazz ensemble
and studied with jazz greats such as Dr. Thom Mason, Carmen Bradford and Alan
Pasqua. She spent three years with the SoCal VoCals and served as their
director for two years, resulting in awards as a soloist, arranger, and songwrite.
Her original, "Drive Me Crazy," was the first original song featured
on the Best of College A Cappella (BOCA) compilation album (2002). She spent
a year singing rock a cappella at Disney's California Adventure with Groove
66 and has been arranging a cappella music professionally for two years.
She recently was named Best Blues Vocalist at the Summerfest Battle of the Jammers
in Milwaukee, and she has just released her first solo album, "Everything
I Never Asked For."
Maxine Sharavsky
ICCA Northeast Producer
Now in her third season with Varsity Vocals, Maxine holds a
bachelor's degree from Brown University with a double major in music and Judaic
studies. While at Brown, she studied jazz and classical voice and sang with
the Brown University Chorus and Chamber Choir, as well as the women’s
a cappella group, the Ursa Minors. During her two years as the Ursas’
musical director, she produced the group’s third studio album, The Little
Black Dress, which was recognized by the Contemporary a Cappella Society as
one of the top ten female collegiate albums of 2005. Maxine now lives in New
York City and works as a managerial associate at IMG Artists, an international
performing arts management agency. She has been a judge for the 2006 and 2007
Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards, currently sings with the Grace Church
Choral Society of New York, and does freelance cantorial and music education
work for Jewish congregations throughout the Northeast.
Andrea Kovac
ICHSA Midwest Producer
Andrea Kovac began her a cappella career singing with the female
a cappella group Nuance at Pine Creek High School in Colorado, where
she was actively involved in the choral program. She has gone on to serve as
president of Michigan State University’s Capital Green for two
of her three years with the ensemble. Under her leadership, Capital Green,
who has hosted and competed in ICCA events for five years, placed second at
quarterfinals and fourth in semifinals last year. Andrea arranges much of the
group’s repertoire, and her arrangement of the Black-Eyed Peas’
“Let’s Get It Started” is featured on the second volume of
the Collegiate A Cappella Music Organization’s compilation, Top Shelf
A Cappella. Andrea will graduate this year with a bachelor’s degree
in English Literature.