Artists including flautist Emmanuel Pahud, cellist Alisa Weilerstein, violinist Maxim Vengerov and tenor Rolando Villazón have come together to launch the Impossible Orchestra, a new project created by Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra. The orchestra will help raise money for charities supporting women and children in the conductor's native country, and to help protect them against domestic violence. Women in Mexico have been particularly badly affected by domestic violence during the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown.
Several of the artists involved in the orchestra will not play their usual instruments: tenor Rolando Villazón will play the claves, for example, and Alondra de la Parra – usually a conductor – will be behind the piano.
The musicians have come together from 14 countries to help raise money and awareness for Save the Children and Fondo Semillas, a Mexican charity.
A virtual fundraising gala will be held on YouTube on Friday 28 August.
The orchestra's first project – a performance of Alondra de la Parra's arrangement of Márquez's Danzón No. 2 – can be seen below. The music is paired with choreography by Christopher Wheeldon performed by dancer Elisa Carrillo Cabrera.