Clintonic Strings is known to many music lovers as the founder of Ace Orchestra, the live ensemble that has shared stages with some of Nigeria’s biggest artistes. Today, however, he also wants to be recognised for something else; the creation of Afrochestra, a performance concept he believes could become Nigeria’s next global music export.
The musician, creative director and founder of Ace Orchestra is the brain behind Afrochestra, a performance concept that blends Afrobeats with orchestral music to create what he describes as a new live identity for African music. More than just another stage production, Clintonic believes Afrochestra has the potential to become one of Nigeria’s next global cultural exports.
“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.”
For Clintonic, Afrochestra did not happen overnight. The concept was conceived in 2024 and officially launched on February 9, 2025, after months of testing the idea through live concerts.
He described Afrochestra as a movement that transforms familiar Afrobeats songs into immersive orchestral experiences while reconnecting generations through music.
While the Afrochestra name is gradually gaining recognition, many entertainment enthusiasts already know the work of Ace Orchestra, the live ensemble founded by Clintonic.
Over the years, Ace Orchestra has graced some of Nigeria’s biggest entertainment stages, including the Headies Awards, while performing alongside leading acts such as Olamide, Teni, Olakira, Dapper and at Trench Symphony. Those performances, coupled with collaborations across the entertainment industry, have established the orchestra as one of Nigeria’s leading live music ensembles.
Clintonic, however, is quick to distinguish between the two brands.
“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 more than a music style; it’s a performance movement. We created it to give African music a new live identity by combining the energy of Afrobeats with the richness of orchestral performance.”
He likens the relationship between both brands to that of a vehicle and its destination.
“Ace Orchestra performs Afrochestra music. Ace Orchestra is the ensemble, while Afrochestra is the concept, the sound and the experience. One powers the other, but they are not the same.”
According to him, one of the motivations behind creating Afrochestra was to bridge a growing disconnect between generations of music lovers.
“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.”
Turning that vision into reality has not come without sacrifice.
Running an orchestra, he noted, requires huge investments in rehearsals, venues, logistics and production, forcing the team to validate the concept through experimental concerts before unveiling it publicly.
“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, we tested the concept through concerts before officially launching it.”
One of the strongest endorsements of the concept came recently through a collaboration with celebrated disc jockey DJ Consequence, offering audiences a glimpse into the Afrochestra experience.
“This collaboration is one of the best demonstrations of the potential of Afrochestra,” he said. “The audience reaction has been mind-blowing. People can’t wait to experience it live again.”
Asked to define Afrochestra, Clintonic described it as more than a musical arrangement.
“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.”
Although the concept is still in its early years, Clintonic is convinced that its greatest achievements lie ahead.
“Twenty years from now, I don’t want people to remember Afrochestra simply as a show,” he said. “I want it to be recognised as a performance culture that started in Nigeria and travelled the world. If Afrobeats changed how the world hears Africa, I believe Afrochestra can change how the world experiences African music live.”
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.
