The Butler Chorale has landed another spectacularly high-profile gig: July 4 with the Rolling Stones at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of the band’s ZIP CODE tour.

The 26-member choral group, which performed with Madonna as part of the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show, will be providing backup vocals during one song of the Stones’ set. The chorale will be rehearsing this week to prepare for the show.

“It’s an exciting opportunity,” said Eric Stark, Butler’s Director of Choral Activities. “When I announced this, it was just like the Super Bowl. People were just jumping out of their chairs about it.”

The chorale will be broken into two groups onstage during the performance. Greg Sanders ’99 MM ’11, conductor of the Indianapolis Men’s Chorus and vocal coach for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Yuletide concerts, will conduct one half, and Professor of Music Doug Spaniol will be the shadow conductor for the other half. (Stark had a previous commitment and will be traveling that night.)

Stark said the invitation to perform with “The World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band” came shortly before the spring semester ended. “Initially, I wasn’t sure we were going to be able to help because it’s summertime,” Stark said. “But once the students found out it was the Rolling Stones that became very interesting to them. We didn’t have too much trouble.”

Media contact:
Marc Allan
mallan@butler.edu
317-940-9822