Austin Ryan Cook

Austin Cook is an award-winning music director, writer and producer based in Brooklyn, NY. A native of Kansas City, MO, Cook has been a dedicated musician his entire life. After receiving his bachelor's degrees in piano & vocal performance, Austin toured Europe as a classical pianist. In 2008, he came back to the United States to work as a professional intern in the entertainment division of The Walt Disney Corporation. In 2009, Austin made the move to Chicago, IL to begin his career as a music director, producer and actor.

While in Chicago, Austin won four Joseph Jefferson awards for acting, music direction and artistic specialization. Austin collaborated on over twenty musicals and plays with over a dozen theater companies while in Chicago. Austin is a proud member of both Actor's Equity and the American Federation of Musicians. As a producer, Austin's most recently produced album The Beast in Me received the 2014 Independent Music Award for Best Roots EP. The album was performed in its entirety on the nationally televised PBS series Sun Studio Sessions.

In 2017, Austin moved to New York City and began work as a sub in the pit on the new Broadway musical War Paint. In late 2017, Austin began work as Music Associate, playing K2, and rapping/playing rehearsals for the 1st National Tour of Hamilton. In 2019, he served as the Music Director for the 1st National tour of Dear Evan Hansen. Now, back in New York, Austin made his Broadway conducting debut with Hamilton where he remains a sub conductor. He is quickly becoming known as one of the top accompanists in the country, working regularly with Telsey Casting Company and New York University.

In 2019, Austin started to lay the ground work to become a full-time writer. Throughout his career, he has always arranged, composed, performed and collaborated on other author’s works. In 2019, however, Austin resolved to finally start creating and producing his original works & ideas. Austin just finished a new play about the legendary FAME studios in Sheffield, Alabama entitled Sessions. Currently, he’s writing a new play about what it means to be human in the age of advanced Artificial Intelligence. Also, he is working on a new music/story LP entitled “Jonah and the Deep.” His latest produced album, Broadway Lullabies, features his arranging, playing and production work starring some of Broadway's biggest names.