Ernie Bird is an award-winning American composer, writer and artist, heading TRW’s Music Department. A 2023 Jonathan Larson Award finalist, and a 2024 Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriter, his musical RISE, in collaboration with librettist Gabrielle Mirabella, had its Off-Broadway debut at the Kaufman Music Center in 2022. Bird & Mirabella also co-wrote the musical audio drama What Will She Do Next?, featured on Apple Podcasts, the New York Times, Chicago-Sun Times, and endorsed by Common Sense Media. His musical piece The Ukrainian War Diary was presented at the National Opera Center in 2023. His musical Sunday Brunch, co-written with Rachel Aberman, was showcased in the fall of 2023 at 54 Below and Green Room 42. After being awarded a full scholarship and the Departmental Fellowship, Ernie attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he received an MFA in Musical Theatre Composition. A Berklee College of Music alumnus, he is a Guest Composer at Columbia University School of the Arts, a Member Composer of the BMI Lehman Engel Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop, and a Participating Composer at NYU’s 2024 Opera Lab (in association with American Opera Projects). imerniebird.com
