Meet Perfect 4th Ensemble: the Orchestra behind the World’s largest Afrobeats Orchestra performance  

While the focus is often on the musicians, there are other creatives whose talent, dynamism, and ingenuity are adding much-needed excitement and complexity to Afrobeats. Among the creatives defining the scene with daring talent is the Perfect 4th Ensemble, a group of classical music enthusiasts from Lagos whose unprecedented fusion of cultural legacy and orchestral grandeur has seen them etch their names in the Guinness World Record for the largest orchestra for an Afrobeats concert.

In December 2025, Perfect 4th Ensemble announced a historic collaboration with Dapper Music for the #DettyDecember instalment of the Trench Symphony Concert, where they delivered an extraordinary 85-piece ensemble. The performance has now been recognised by the Guinness World Records as the largest orchestra for an Afrobeats Concert.

At the concert at the Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace, Victoria Island, Lagos, Perfect 4th Ensemble added defining sonic beauty to the performances of Dapper Music’s sensational line-up of talents, through a full orchestral scoring, arrangement, and performance for an unprecedented 85-man Afrobeats and Fuji orchestra.

This monumental presentation not only marks the largest gathering of its kind in the history of live musical performances in Africa and the world, but it is also a cultural milestone that redefines the conventional boundaries of live instrumentation by unifying standard classical structures with the rich, syncopated polyrhythms of contemporary African music.

This groundbreaking production featuring 85 orchestra musicians on stage also brought together some of the finest instrumentalists in the country to reimagine contemporary Afrobeats with the power and depth of a live symphonic orchestra. The result was a moment that not only celebrated African music but also demonstrated the growing global relevance of orchestral collaboration within the Afrobeats movement.

Speaking on the groundbreaking feat, David Etim AKA Isonilstrings, the CEO of p4Ensemble, said: “We believe this moment is not a peak but a foundation. A step toward a future where African Classical Music expands without erasure.”

Etim further added that the feat was a testament to the capacity of creatives to infuse their talent into interpreting and advancing different forms of live music. “We celebrate this milestone as a collective victory for every musician, arranger, and creative mind who contributed to making this historic performance possible. Each member of the orchestra played a role in shaping a sound that pushed the boundaries of what live African music performance can achieve.”

As CEO, he has focused on ensuring every partnership with Perfect 4th Ensemble yields culturally historic and commercially unparalleled results.

Perfect 4th Ensemble’s Creative Director Fatola Israel, a visionary and a defining force in the Creative and Visual Arts Ecosystem, has solidified the group’s position at the intersection of elite artistry, historic execution and performance design on the continent.

Israel’s distinct blend of avant-garde creative direction and operational precision was instrumental in guiding the ensemble to a historic milestone. He supervised several rehearsal sessions and score arrangements leading up to this spectacular performance.

“This performance in particular challenges the conventional boundaries of live instrumentation by unifying standard classical structures with the rich, syncopated polyrhythms of contemporary African music. This level of organisation requires precise planning for every member,” Israel said on the performance.

The landmark feat further proves the need for brilliant minds to collaborate as creatives across the Perfect 4th Ensemble and Dapper Music combined to successfully execute the vision. The Afrobeats orchestra was arranged by Adedeji Gabriel Noble, Fortune Menegbo, and Adomako Benajah. Emmanuel Ayomide George oversaw the score while Bazzman Sam led the music direction.

The project was conceived by Damilola Akinwunmi, popularly known as Dapper, who said the initiative aimed to showcase African music on a larger global stage and push the creative boundaries of live Afrobeats performances.

A production of this magnitude involved a large creative team working behind the scenes. Coordination was handled by Kelechi “Chopper” Aquari, creative direction by Director K, sound design by producer Tee Y Mix, and engineering by Mr Bassey. Other notable contributions included Clintonic and overall event direction by Dunni Akinwunmi.

It signals a wider shift in how African popular music is performed, preserved, and presented at scale. It was not about genre crossover or spectacle. It was about scale, translation, and cultural continuity. The project was conceived by Damilola Akinwunmi, popularly known as Dapper, who said the initiative aimed to showcase African music on a larger global stage and push the creative boundaries of live Afrobeats performances.

P4 Ensemble group is expanding on more creative projects this year and beyond, further broadening its vision and commitment to building something truly monumental for the culture and the African classical music scene as a whole.

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