This orchestral composition, in G minor, describes how Christ's divinity overcomes the stench of death. It reminds us of Lazarus, mentioned in chapter 11 of the Gospel of St John, who was dead and buried for 4 days before the Lord Christ raised him from the dead. 

Living in sin is spiritual death, when one becomes like a decomposing corpse emitting the stench of death, similar to how Lazarus was described. Yet, there is always hope in Christ who could raise one from their spiritual death. One only has to ask, and it is this prayer to Christ that marks the start of this spiritual resurrection, so one could experience God's grace and attain eternal victory.

Dead as Lazarus

Kyrillos Guirguis is an Australian composer who has been passionate about music since early childhood. His music is influenced by both Middle Eastern music, including Coptic Christian, and Western classical music traditions. His compositions occasionally use the Arabic and Coptic maqams (scales/modes) that utilise micro-tonality (quarter tones), giving his music a rich flavour. He enjoys orchestrating his own music, utilising principles developed by some of the great orchestrators such as Rimsky-Korsakov.

Kyrillos has been learning and playing the lute (oud) for several years. He uses the lute for most of the compositional process, which tends to focus on melody. However, his strong music theory and broad intimate knowledge with various instruments enable him to orchestrate effectively and compose for a wide variety of genres and ensembles. 

Kyrillos loves the oboe, bassoon, and the French horn, and can't resist including them in his orchestrations.

Kyrillos has only recently started to share his music with others, bringing to the world wonderful music that has deep spiritual meanings. The Valley Winds Ensemble, Massachusetts, considers him a composer with “strong compositional skills”, attesting to his abilities to write music that inspires others and appeals to both musicians and listeners alike.

One of the scholars at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music described his compositional style as "evocative, setting him apart in the Western contemporary classical idiom".

Kyrillos is currently completing his postgraduate music studies at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, with a focus on music composition.

Kyrillos continues to compose inspiring music that is loved by many fans around the world. He is also pursuing opportunities to collaborate and to support others in their musical journeys.

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