LI Catholic school belts holy hits — and expects 3 or 4 kids to do this during their Christmas show: ‘It happens every year’
It’s no gentle ride for anyone unready for a challenge. At the country’s largest Catholic high‑school choir—believed to be the biggest in the United States— the sheer size creates such a frenzied atmosphere that they actually expect a handful of singers to faint during their annual Christmas show.
Brother Joshua DiMauro, the choir’s long‑time conductor, told the Post that they plan on three or four students “passing out” at the concert, and that indeed occurs every year. He added that while a whole squad of parents stands ready behind them, a frontline brigade of teachers and nurses fills the front rows, prepared to jump in if needed.
What really leaves people breathless is that the choir counts 600 voices. DiMauro, who’s been at the helm for 45 years, mentioned that in the many professional circles he’s joined he hasn’t encountered a group with such numbers. He even hands out detentions for tiny infractions—like misplacing a prayer card—to keep the order in check.
The chorus has once sung before the Vatican for John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis, and hopes to return in 2027 to serenade Pope Leo. When rallying the masses, the director—students affectionately call him “Bro Jo”—often reminds everyone that the Mormontabernacle Choir has only 360 members, a far cry from their own 600.
On a wing and a prayer
Coordinating a holiday program that blends Latin hymns, standard pieces, and a few lighthearted songs for roughly 150 singers in each part feels less like rehearsal and more like a miracle. Around thirty faculty members help with the daily practice sessions and the rapid stage changes that happen faster than a NASCAR pit stop, while a dozen parents stand backstage to catch anything that might go wrong.
The warm‑up itself is a spectacle: the whole bleacher block of the Friars’ gym is occupied by choir members who are instructed to make animal noises— from jungle beasts to the infamous “kill the mailman” dog— to pump up the energy before the show.
The first‑year students face a steep learning curve, receiving a rigorous initiation in September from DiMauro and his choral advisor, Christopher “Senor” Farrell—a Spanish teacher at the school. Together, they select the most diligent, well‑behaved singers from each grade and bestow officer titles on them, giving these students responsibility over the ranks and files.
Senior alto Emma Burke recalls her sister’s advice from the back row: “Sing loudly if you want them to like you.” She now leads the alto section and reflects that it was “overwhelming at first, but you became one. Leading that is so special.”
While the intensity can break new recruits in half, veterans like Burke grow to appreciate DiMauro’s standards, pushing themselves toward excellence. Senior bass lieutenant Sean Brady admits, “Brother Joshua scared me back then. I love him now.”
Students say that nothing at St. Anthony’s fosters a bond as strong as the choir. “These friends that we’ve made—it’s very special,” shared tenor leader Ruadhán Campion. They describe the experience as hard work but remarkably rewarding. “Even though it’s such a tight ship, we find fun in that.”
When the four senior section leaders chant “Gloria in excelsis Deo” and the ancient Latin hymn “Conditor Alme Siderum” a cappella before the full chorus takes its places, even Gen Alpha members resonate with the tunes. Le Sudentas, the senior soprano leader, laughs, “I find myself singing these in the shower now.”
DiMauro notes that students dig online for details on great composers from centuries past and urges them to see it in the setlists. “They’re conversant in Mozart and Handel and Bach—that’s pretty exciting,” he says.
After a triumphant 2025 performance, the upper‑classmen will tour the city on Thursday, caroling along the Brooklyn Bridge, the World Trade Center roof, the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, in Bryant Park, and at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. “We do a lot of singing around the city on that day,” DiMauro joked. “It’s one of our most exciting days.”
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