Musician and creative director Clinton Akinkuolie, popularly known as Clintonic Strings, has shared the vision behind Afrochestra, a performance concept he believes could redefine live African music while creating a globally recognised entertainment format from Nigeria.
According to the founder of Ace Orchestra, Afrochestra is more than the fusion of Afrobeats and orchestral music. He describes it as a movement designed to reconnect generations through live performance while giving African music a new identity on the global stage.
“The dream is for Afrochestra to become a globally recognised live music format that originates from Nigeria,” he said. “Just as people around the world recognise Broadway in America or the Proms in the UK, I want Afrochestra to become a signature African live music experience.
“We’re already receiving interest from outside Nigeria, which tells us the concept has international appeal. I see Afrochestra touring major cities across Africa, Europe, North America and the Middle East, collaborating with world-class orchestras and some of the biggest Afrobeats stars.
“Beyond performances, I want Afrochestra to become a platform that creates opportunities for orchestral musicians, composers, arrangers and young instrumentalists who rarely get the spotlight in today’s music industry.”
The concept, he explained, was conceived in 2024 before making its official debut on February 9, 2025, after months of experimentation through live concerts.
Although audiences already know Ace Orchestra for its premium live performances, Clintonic said Afrochestra represents a much bigger vision.
Over the years, Ace Orchestra has performed on some of Nigeria’s biggest stages, including the Headies Awards, while sharing stages with artistes such as Olamide, Teni and Olakira, and featuring at Trench Symphony, establishing itself as one of the country’s leading live orchestras.
“Ace Orchestra is the band,” he explained. “We’re the live musicians, the producers and the team that has been performing and creating for years. People know us for high-quality orchestral covers, events and collaborations with artistes.
“Afrochestra is the sound and the movement we created. It’s a fusion of Afrobeats and orchestra. The name itself says it all—African rhythm meets orchestral arrangement.”
He explained that while Ace Orchestra performs Afrochestra music, the two should not be mistaken for the same thing.
“Ace Orchestra is the vehicle. Afrochestra is the destination.”
According to Clintonic, the inspiration came from observing how music audiences had become divided by age and taste.
“Younger audiences grew up on Afrobeats, while middle-aged audiences grew up on live bands, Highlife and orchestras. The ecosystem was gradually separating them.
“Afrochestra was built for both generations. We fuse nostalgia with the present. We take songs and even classical pieces that people already love and transform them into premium, emotional experiences that everyone can enjoy together.”
Bringing the concept to life, however, required patience and significant investment.
“We didn’t force orchestra into Afrobeats or Afrobeats into orchestra. We found the emotion they both share and built Afrochestra around that.
“Because orchestra projects are expensive to run—from rehearsals and venues to logistics and production—we tested the concept through concerts before officially launching it.”
One of the latest milestones for Afrochestra came through a collaboration with celebrated DJ Consequence, giving audiences a preview of the experience Clintonic hopes to build into an internationally recognised performance brand.
“This collaboration is one of the best demonstrations of the potential of Afrochestra. The audience reaction has been mind-blowing. People can’t wait to experience it live again.”
Summing up the concept, Clintonic said Afrochestra goes beyond musical experimentation.
“Afrochestra is where the heartbeat of Africa meets the grandeur of orchestral music. It’s not just about adding violins to Afrobeats; it’s about reimagining familiar songs into timeless musical experiences.
“We want people to hear songs they’ve known for years and feel like they’re discovering them for the first time. Whether you’re 18 or 60, Afrochestra creates a shared emotional experience that reminds you music has no age, no borders and no limitations.”
Over the years it’s been dubbed other names like “Afrochestra Rave, Afrochestra Experience, Afro-Symphonic Fusion, Orchestral Afrobeats, Symphonic Afro-pop, Afro-Orchestral Showcase / Performance, Afrobeats Symphony” by fans.
