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Trilled to bits! Xaverian’s Senior Idol show a hit

Trilled to bits! Xaverian’s Senior Idol show a hit
Photo by Arthur De Gaeta

Talk about golden oldies!

A cadre of silver-haired crooners showed youngsters that singing only improves with age at the eighth-annual Senior Idol at Xaverian High School on Oct. 25.

Performers from the 50-plus set have been auditioning and practicing for the contest for months, but it all came to a head on Saturday, when 14 local seniors took the stage to see who had the best pipes. And the pre-show jitters didn’t stop the winner from putting on a killer performance.

“Of course I was nervous — I could have used a couple of drinks, but they didn’t have any,” joked winner and first-time contestant Anthony Neve who sang Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” “I was quite shocked, because I didn’t think I was gonna win — I never seem to win anything.”

But Neve’s rendition wowed the panel of judges, which included Xaverian music director Joseph Loposky, last year’s winner Tommy Anderson, Bobby Valli — the brother of Four Seasons frontman Frankie Valli.

The three-hour cavalcade of talent raised nearly $3,000 for Xaverian’s music program and was most the seamless in the show’s eight years, Loposky said.

“It was the best ones we’ve had in the sense of how smooth it ran, the talent that evening, and the judges,” he said.

More than just singing, some performers accompanied themselves on instruments or worked in a whole dance routine.

Neve and Loposky said Gianvito Bottalico’s rendition of “Singing in the Rain” was a downpour of entertainment.

“He had the umbrella and the hat and fake rain — he had the whole show,” Loposky said.

And Neve may have won, but he said the bouquet ought to go to sponsor state Sen. Martin Golden (R–Bay Ridge) for finding ways to keep the neighborhood’s older population engaged.

“To get seniors together to participate in an activity that you look forward to doing every year — it’s nice,” Neve said. “Instead of going to bingo, you’re doing something exciting.”

Reach reporter Max Jaeger at mjaeg‌er@cn‌gloca‌l.com or by calling (718) 260–8303. Follow him on Twitter @JustTheMax.
Double threat: Multi-talented contestants like Julia Diorio accompanied themselves while singing.
Photo by Arthur De Gaeta