The Cotatcha Orchestra, a leading Czech big band, became part of the PARMA family last year. The orchestra is currently working towards recording and releasing their debut album with PARMA.

Actually, the music was supposed to be recorded just last month.

While the band is based in the Czech Republic, its members are based in several European countries. As the spread of COVID-19 resulted in national governments mandating travel restrictions and social isolation, the recording schedule had to be postponed. But that didn’t stop the music.

Together with the Cotatcha Orchestra, PARMA devised a plan to record a piece from the upcoming album and capture it on video, without anyone needing to meet in person. Everybody involved stayed safe and alone. It took a just a couple days of coordination on the phone between PARMA’s GRAMMY-nominated Recording Sessions Manager Jan Košulič and various members of the band to make the session happen. The result: a 3-minute excerpt of the piece A Very Old Lady Driving A Ferrari was recorded. PARMA’s videography team assembled the final, eye-catching element of the release with a video including each band member performing from their own home.

Times like these call for getting creative. Through coordination, technology, and teamwork, we have the opportunity to come together even while apart and make music for a world that needs it.