Twenty-five chorus members will sing backup for the band on their smash “I Want to Know What Love Is” at its Oct. 13 show at the Majestic Theatre.

“I’m excited to hear them do that,” said Carolyn Cruse, the choir’s artistic director, who noted that it’s been at least five years since the choir sang on the Majestic stage.

Tickets to the show range from $59.78 to $1,354.50.

Foreigner, which is in the midst of it 50th anniversary tour, has been inviting youth choirs to share the spotlight with them on that song for nearly 20 years. It’s a way for the band to highlight the need for music education in schools.

The band also makes donations to the choirs that help them out on stage. The Children’s Chorus will get $500. 

In many other cities, radio stations hold competitions for the chance to get onstage with the band. Here, Q101.9 went directly to the Children’s Chorus, which means a lot to Cruse.

“I feel like it’s a really exciting time for CCSA,” she said. “If the band reached out to a radio station and they contacted us first, we are making a name for ourselves in the community to be the first call for an opportunity like this.

 “I’m very proud of that.”

Singers taking part in range in age from 14 to18 and represent schools of all types all over town. The band put a cap of 25 on the number who can join in. Those who made the cut were selected partly via lottery. Chorus leaders also took into account factors such as age, musicianship and stage presence. 

The Majestic staff made arrangements so that the singers will get go see the concert, Cruse said, leaving their seats just before they have to be onstage.

“I Want to Know What Love Is” — the only Foreigner single to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot100 — first hit the airwaves in 1984. The children’s chorus members may not have been able to name the band behind it, Cruse said, but a lot of them know the song.

“I started playing the song in rehearsal a couple of weeks ago, and a few of them started singing along,” she said.

She noted that its harmonies are similar to those on “Holding Out for a Hero,” Bonnie Tyler’s hit from the “Footloose” soundtrack. That song was included in a spring program the chorus sang devoted to show tunes and movie music, Cruse said, so the youngsters have a sense of what’s required.

“I’m excited about hearing them build the harmonies of the song,” she said. “The band doesn’t provide sheet music. They just want us to do our thing.”