Brian Cavanagh-Strong writes music, and works on projects that use music to tell stories. His work has found a place in theatre, musical theatre, opera, film and television, and has been performed in New York City, regionally, and internationally. He teaches musical theatre writing at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

He has written music for A Woman Among Women, a play-with-music by Julia May Jonas, which is being produced by The Bushwick Starr and New Georges in Fall 2024.

Brian wrote music for the acclaimed production of Your Own Personal Exegesis at Lincoln Center Theater/LCT3, written by Julia May Jonas and directed by Annie Tippe.

Brian has written music for All Long True American Stories, a five play-cycle in which collaborator Julia May Jonas reimagines canonical American male-experience plays (such as Arthur Miller's All My Sons and Eugene O'Neill's A Long Day's Journey Into Night) for other people - mostly women.

He wrote an opera with Jonathan Larson award-winner Ben Bonnema, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn riots of 1969. 

He is the Music Director & Music Supervisor of ANTHEM, a podcast musical by John Cameron Mitchell & Bryan Weller, produced by First Look Media and Howard Gertler. 

Brian has written original music for Sesame Street on HBO, and has assisted TV/film composer Pat Irwin on numerous projects, including HBO's Bored To Death and Showtime's Nurse Jackie. 

Brian is a proud graduate of Grinnell College, and holds an MFA from the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He's a member of ASCAP, and subscribes to Cook's Illustrated.

He lives in Brooklyn, New York.