Who is Coptic Oud?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-08
"Coptic Oud" is an online platform and identity associated with Moalem George Mikhail.
Moalem George Mikhail leads this initiative, which is dedicated to the preservation and teaching of Coptic ecclesiastical music (hymns) and the Coptic language. The name reflects the integration of the traditional Middle Eastern musical instrument, the oud, with the sacred melodies of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
Moalem George Mikhail's background and service include:
- Service and Location: He was born in Hollywood, California, and raised in the Diocese of Los Angeles. Since 1997, he has served at St. George Coptic Orthodox Church in Bellflower, CA, and St. Mary & St. Verena Coptic Orthodox Church in Yorba Linda (formerly Anaheim).
- Education and Training: He earned his BS in Computer Design with a minor in Art History from Cal Poly Pomona University. In 2020, he became the first student from outside Egypt or Sudan to be admitted to the St. Didymus Institute for Cantors in Cairo. He graduated from the institute in 2023. As of 2024, he is enrolled at the Antiochian House of Studies, where he is studying Byzantine Chant.
- Educational Innovation: Moalem George pioneered a "Hymns School Concept" designed to help youth follow the rigorous St. Didymus curricula at a manageable pace. He established the first such school in the Diocese of Los Angeles in 2012. This school currently serves over 150 students from 22 different churches, meeting weekly throughout the year.
The work of Coptic Oud is sponsored by His Grace Bishop Kyrillos, Auxiliary Bishop in the Diocese of Los Angeles.
Among the top living cantors (Moalemeen) in the Coptic Orthodox Church today, Moalem George Mikhail is recognized alongside others such as Moalem Ibrahim Ayad, Moalem Gad Lewis, Moalem Zaher Andrawes, Moalem Mina Makar, and Moalem Milad Nady.