our partnering provider:
Our Story
In 2017, Central Ohio Music Therapy (COMT) was introduced to CityMusic Columbus as a potential partner for our new library music programs. We were impressed with how well these programs were received under the leadership of COMT’s skilled music therapists, leading us to continue the collaboration each summer.
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When the global Covid-19 pandemic forced the closure of all our programs and the loss of non-COMT providers, the YMCA Head Start classes were the first to request a return in early 2022. With many children facing significant social, emotional, and developmental challenges after more than a year without classes—some having never attended classes before—it became crucial to find a music program provider who could adapt to these unique needs. COMT stepped forward, offering their nationally board-certified music therapists (MT-BCs) to lead the program in the Head Start classrooms. Around the same time, we were presented with the opportunity to launch a guitar endowment program, and once again, COMT provided their highly skilled Therapeutic Support Musicians (TSMs) to deliver this new initiative.
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Our partnership with COMT ensures that all CityMusic Columbus programs are delivered at the highest standard, led by trained, experienced, and licensed MT-BCs and TSMs.
Administration team
amanda finfrock
Executive Director
Erin spring
Music Programs Manager
Ms. Spring has been a practicing, board-certified music therapist (MT-BC) in central and southeast Ohio since 2007. Erin is a neurologically trained music therapist serving a variety of populations including the terminally ill, individuals with autism and developmental disabilities, geriatric adults, patients receiving obstetric and general hospital care and children experiencing grief. She holds a bachelor and master degree’s in music therapy from Ohio University where she studied under Ms. Anita Louise Steele-Markland and Dr. Kamile Geist. Ms. Spring interned at the Music School Settlement and in the Cleveland Clinic Palliative Medicine Unit before returning to southeast Ohio to begin her work as a MT-BC and graduate assistant while obtaining her master’s degree from Ohio University. Her thesis research focused on collaboration, exploring the collaborative terminology and the teaching models used to train upcoming professionals in collaborative work. Her love for music therapy and training prompted Erin to serve as adjunct professor of music therapy at Ohio University from 2012-2014 where she taught and supervised undergraduate and graduate equivalency music therapy students.
In 2010, Erin founded Central Ohio Music Therapy, LLC (COMT) as an individual private practice. As the need and demand for music therapy services grew, COMT began to bring on additional therapists in 2012 and now currently employs multiple board certified music therapists in both central and southeast Ohio. Erin currently serves as Executive Director for COMT providing management and support to the COMT team and the numerous contracts and clients it serves. This includes coordinating the music therapy services in the Ohio University Music Therapy Clinic and contracted music therapy student fieldwork supervision for the Ohio University Music Therapy Department in Athens, Ohio.
Ms. Spring is a member of the American Music Therapy Association and the Association of Ohio Music Therapists. She currently serves as the co-chair for the AMTA Music Listening Workgroup which provides support to music therapists developing music listening programs and advocating for safe and effective music listening experiences. She also services as co-chair for the Ohio Music Therapy Task Force seeking to obtain licensure in the state of Ohio to increase access to music therapy services for Ohioans.
Erin enjoys advocating for music therapy through presentations to local organizations, agencies and businesses. Among her presentations, Erin presented as a panelist with Dan Cohen, MSW at the 2014 American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) National Conference in Louisville, Kentucky discussing the effects of music on memory and discussing the film Alive Inside. In 2018 she participated in the Pioneer Network Conference in Denver Colorado where she presented on applications of therapeutic music and music therapy in geriatric care and advocated alongside Music & Memory to promote the inclusion of therapeutic music and music therapy in geriatric care.
Erin studied voice with Dr. Patricia Pease, Mrs. Stephanie Mouat and Mrs. Lorna Frank and performs around her community as a soloist and with various ensembles. Erin is also the director of the Circleville Presbyterian Handbell Choir and the Roundtown Ringers Community Handbell Choir. When she’s not leading music therapy sessions, you will often find her volunteering with her ATD registered therapy dogs Oscar & Rosie, providing pet therapy services to patients, students and anyone else who’s quality of life is improved when there’s a dog around.
meet our music provider team
We are proud to have these incredible team members providing our programs to local youth every week!
Music To Thrive By
kelsey lawrence, lpmt, mt-BC
Kelsey Lawrence MT-BC, has been a board certified music therapist since 2006. She received her associate degree in Psychology from BYU – Idaho in 2001 , her Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy in 2005 from Radford University in Virginia, and then completed her internship at The Kardon Institute for Arts Therapy in Philadelphia. Kelsey’s passion has always been working with young children so she began her career with The Academy of Community Music while living in Pennsylvania. Since moving to Ohio she has worked with WeJoySing, teaches music lessons from her home, and now loves working with COMT.
Kelsey also stays quite busy at home in Hilliard. Married in 2002 to her sweetheart Kevin, they have 4 children- 2 girls and 2 boys. She likes to spend her spare time volunteering at church, running, and gardening.
Music Lessons for Life
Mark Rhodes,
TSM
Mark always knew as a young kid that music was going to be his career when he grew up. There
was no doubt that from the second he could talk that he would be involved with music
somehow some way. It wasn’t until middle school when he discovered his singing voice and as
soon as that happened it was non-stop music, all day, every day for the rest of his high school
life. He began his college career soon after and immediately got involved in the local music
scene here in Columbus by starting as a solo performer. Strapping his acoustic guitar to his back
and singing his heart out wherever he could get the opportunity, Mark hit the ground running.
It took about 6 months for opportunity to start knocking. He had been in several bands that just
didn’t really fit his vocal style, so he stuck to the solo life until the right thing came along. He
was offered an opportunity to audition for an extremely popular local band called Mescalito,
they were a 13-piece band that specialized in Funk and Soul, a genre Mark had been drawn to
as a kid and he couldn’t wait to get to that audition. They soon announced him as the new lead
singer.
He spent the next 3 years performing with Mescalito and even recorded his first album with
them a self-titled album, it was well received, and the band was even getting national attention
from record labels. As it happens in the business though, bandmates were getting married and
starting families, so we decided to disband. Mark didn’t waste any time though, he immediately
joined forces with some of the baddest musicians in the town and began his lead vocal's role
with another funk powerhouse called Jamnesia. They started packing houses at every venue we
played and soon started hitting the road, playing all over the state and in New York as well. But
this band was a cover band and he missed performing his music, he had been writing a ton of
songs with his writing partner at the time, Tony Bonardi, and so he decided to leave the band
and started his own band called New Pollution.
New Pollution took off and was well received with the local music scene in Columbus. The band
was full of some of the best musicians the city had to offer. In fact, two have gone on to do
important things. Former bass player Larry Cook has won a Grammy award for best Kids jazz
album and drummer Steve Purcell has been the studio drummer for many national artists
including Shakira. This band stayed in existence for over 10 years. We recorded an EP called
Waiting for the Bus in 2008 and they made the top 5 for best soul artists in Columbus on
ReverbNation for 3 years. It was during the covid shutdown that Mark decided to rebrand his
music and drop the band name New Pollution. Now the band just goes by his name, Mark
Rhodes, mainly because he was now the sole writer of the music, something he had not done
his whole career, he felt it was time to focus on his music and what that means to him. During
the pandemic he began writing and recording his solo album entitled Long Time Coming. It was
called that because he felt this was a move he should have done a long time ago. He had the
privilege of recording the album with a two-time Grammy award winning engineer, local music
genius, Jeff Ciampa. Over the course of two years, we worked on the album one instrument at a
time, inviting nothing but the most world class musicians to come through Studio Orange and
lay down their heart and souls on tape. In January of 2021 the album was finally released and
now is on all of the streaming apps of your choice. Upon the release of his first solo album,
Mark began working as a Therapeutic Support Musician with the REID Foundation, he was hired to
perform and teach guitar and other instruments to people in recovery, in hopes to teach them
how to use music as a coping tool. Little did he know that this job would change his life. Now he
balances his performance life with his therapeutic life and has said goodbye to all other
restaurant jobs he has held over the years and now he can focus on his music career full-time.
Community Youth Music Therapy Groups
José Claros,
LPMT, MT-BC
José N. Claros O. is a board-certified music therapist at Central Ohio Music Therapy LLC from Bogotá, Colombia. He recently graduated with his master’s degree equivalency track in music therapy at Ohio University. Throughout his practicum and internship experience, José has worked with a wide range of populations, including mental health care, children, forensic music therapy, and medical music therapy. He focuses on providing holistic and eclectic care that is meaningful and comprehensive. José received his undergraduate degree in Music Business with an additional major in Business Administration from Marian University. He is also a certified Music Producer and Deejay from Deejay Academy in Bogotá, Colombia.
In addition to his extensive background, José is currently conducting his thesis work, which focuses on culture and musical fusion and its impact on the therapeutic relationship. This research reflects his dedication to exploring the intersection of culture and music within the context of music therapy. In his spare time, José enjoys cooking, spending time with his wife, stepdaughter, and son, as well as being an avid soccer/football fan, supporting teams like Arsenal, Deportivo Cali, and the Columbus Crew.
Literacy Through Music
Jasmine Dabney,
LPMT, MT-BC
Jasmine Dabney is a music therapist in Columbus, OH. Jasmine has always been passionate about music and has been singing since the early age of 3. Jasmine finished her coursework at Ohio University. During her time there, Jasmine was apart of Choral Union and served in various roles for Anointed Ministries; A ministry on the college campus. One of those roles was choir director for Anointed Praise. Jasmine recently finished her internship at Bridgeway Academy in Columbus, Oh. In her free time, Jasmine enjoys sleeping, spending time with her family, watching K-dramas and serving at her church!