Brooklynites vie to become the borough’s next Senior Idol

Dozens of people filed into the Xaverian High School auditorium on Monday, September 8 for the auditions for this year’s Senior Idol competition.

From 4 to 6:30 p.m., 32 contestants age 50 and older performed for an audience of nearly 70 people, with three dance ensembles as interludes.

Contestants sang songs from a variety of musical genres, including several from the Jackson Five, Frank Sinatra, Rascal Flats and some featured in The King and I.

Singers were judged by a panel of four, including John Quaglione, a representative from the office of State Senator Marty Golden, the sponsor of the event; David Vann, the master of ceremonies for the main event on October 25;, Joe Loposky, the director of Xaverian’s music program; and Karen Chalif, the assistant director of Xaverian’s music program.

The Senior Idol contest was started nine years ago by AARP Chapter #5055, and since then it has “pretty much become an institution in the Bay Ridge area,” said Loposky.

Twelve finalists will be selected and one will win the grand prize of $500 at the main event on Saturday, October 25. There will also be a raffle for tickets to the show Jersey Boys; Bobby Valli, Frankie Valli’s brother, will be the evening’s celebrity guest. All money raised will be donated to the Xaverian High School Music Program.