Cyril Among the Flowers

Programme Note

Cyril Among the Flowers was commissioned by the Belfast Music Society for performance in the Night Music Series 2017 by Alex Petcu. The title of the work comes from a well-known character in Belfast, Bontanic Cyril. Cyril is a homeless man often seen in the Botanic Gardens with plastic bags full of books. I was drawn to the contrast of the place in which he set himself. Belfast's Botanic Gardens in summer is awash with colour, and Cyril stands out against the flowers in full regalia.