Ernie Bird is an award-winning Ukrainian American composer, writer, and artist, based in NYC. 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, and 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 viral musical, Sunday Brunch, co-written with Rachel Aberman, had a sold-out performance at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, was showcased at 54 Below and Green Room 42, and garnered over 15 million views on social media and 600k streams. A short film he scored, Efêmera Paradoxal, was selected for the ASVOFF 17th film festival in Paris. After being awarded a full competitive scholarship, Ernie attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he received an MFA in Musical Theatre Writing and Composition. A Berklee College of Music alumnus, he was a Guest Composer at Columbia University School of the Arts, and a Participating Composer at NYU’s 2024 Opera Lab (in association with American Opera Projects). Ernie is a proud member of the BMI Lehman Engel Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop and the Dramatists Guild. Representation: Amy Wagner at Stewart Talent.