A young Grenadian multi-instrumentalist is gearing up to make history this October, as he sets out to claim one of the Guinness World Records’ most physically demanding musical titles: the longest continuous violin playing marathon.
Twenty-three-year-old Jelani Moses, a native of La Mode in St Patrick, will kick off his grueling attempt at 8 a.m. on October 24 at Plains Playing Field, with a goal to play straight through until October 26 — which also marks his 24th birthday. The current official record stands at 40 hours, 5 minutes, and 6 seconds, set by Indian musician Ravi Chandulal Kotadiya back in May 2024, a mark Moses is determined to surpass.
Moses confirmed that his application to attempt the record has already received full approval from Guinness World Records (GWR), and he has been provided with the official rulebook governing the challenge. Under GWR regulations, participants are permitted just 5 minutes of rest for every completed hour of playing, and these rest minutes can be accumulated over the course of the attempt. To maximize his playing time, Moses plans to log 24 consecutive hours of performance before taking a total 90-minute accumulated break, which he will split between bathroom stops and mandatory health check-ins.
Every second of the attempt will be rigorously documented to meet GWR’s strict verification standards. The event will feature continuous multi-camera video recording with backup storage, a prominently displayed public clock, independent third-party observers, official timing sheets, and written activity logs. No on-site GWR adjudicator will be present during the attempt; instead, the local organizing team will submit the full compiled evidence package to GWR headquarters for official review once the attempt concludes.
Months of intentional preparation have preceded the big event, with Moses building up his endurance through progressively longer practice sessions. He gradually increased his playing time from 12 hours, to 16 hours, and eventually capped his training at 24-hour practice blocks. To boost his physical and mental stamina, he has also supplemented his musical practice with regular swimming, bodyweight training including push-ups and planks, and daily meditation to build focus.
Moses’ connection to music began when he started formal training at age 8 at the St Andrew’s Learning Centre in Prairie. By 16, he was already teaching music at the same institution, before going on to advance his musical studies in London and Trinidad. Now a self-employed musician fluent in more than 10 instruments, Moses has stepped back from all social media for the past eight months to dedicate all his energy to preparing for the record attempt. Beyond his personal challenge, he remains committed to music education advocacy: he currently volunteers as a music teacher at three special education schools across Grenada (Victoria, Grenville, and South St George), and is in the process of launching the Jelani Moses Music Foundation, which will provide free instruments and training to Grenadian students after his record attempt is complete.
The attempt is being paired with a public community event titled UNBROKEN Saturday Night, which will run from 8 p.m. on October 24 to 3 a.m. on October 25 for patrons aged 18 and older. The event will feature a lineup of popular local soca artistes ranging from Muddy to Dash, who will perform alongside Moses as he maintains his violin playing streak. Organizer and master of ceremonies Keith “PQ” Mark noted that the event will bring the high-energy vibe of Grenada’s iconic Monday Night Mas to Plains Playing Field, with Moses providing accompaniment for each guest performer. After the Saturday night event wraps up, the violin marathon will continue through Sunday, which will be dedicated almost entirely to solo performances from Moses.
Pulling off the multi-day attempt requires a team of roughly 30 supporting staff, including rotating MCs, videographers, and medical personnel. Organizers are still recruiting additional independent observers to meet GWR requirements, with a particular call for public servants and retired police officers to fill the roles.
For Moses, the attempt is about far more than just claiming a world record. It is rooted in a lifelong commitment to discipline, and a mission to inspire other young Grenadians to chase their biggest dreams, regardless of their small-island background. He credits his mother, Pamela Moses, with instilling his core mindset: the family mantra that “there’s no such thing as quitting” in the Moses name. Pamela Moses emphasized that the months of preparation included full medical clearance for her son, and a medical team will be on-site to monitor his vital signs throughout the entire attempt.
If he succeeds, Moses will carve his name into the official Guinness World Records book. But his larger goal, he says, is to prove to young people across Grenada that even from a small island nation, they can compete and excel on the global stage.