Madonna halftime show a 'fabulous' experience for local choir members

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Along with the Indianapolis Children's Choir, which joined Kelly Clarkson for the national anthem before the big game Sunday, local performers were also featured prominently during the elaborate halftime show. Drummers from four local marching bands and singers from the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir took the stage with Madonna.

For the dozens of singers with the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir it was a performance of a lifetime, singing with Madonna during the Super Bowl halftime show.

“Nothing compared to actually being on the field for the show itself,” said Dana Luetzelschwab-Voigt a singer with the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir. “I thought I had finally gotten over being star-struck and being amazed at everything that’s being done, then I was on the field and I was a kid. I was a kid again.”

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The lucky 70 members of the choir had to keep the performance a secret for two weeks. The singers had to sign a five-page confidentiality agreement.

“It all happened about two weeks ago, honestly. I got a call while I was traveling from the casting director of the halftime show," explained Indianapolis Symphonic Choir Artistic Director Eric Stark, "and they had a sudden need for a big group of singers.”

Stark's singers filled about 70 of the 200 spots for the choir surrounding Madonna during her iconic song, "Like a Prayer." While some members admit they are not true fans of Madonna’s music, it was an opportunity of a lifetime.

“That was just an amazing thing, to feel the energy of the choir, the energy of the audience was just fabulous,” Indianapolis Symphonic Choir singer Dana Goot said.

The singers said they didn't know what song they were performing until their first day of rehearsal. According to Luetzelschwab-Voigt because of copyright issues they didn't even get their own copy of the music. The first day of rehearsal, he received one copy and he had to teach all 200 singers.