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.
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.
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
Announcement coming soon!
Executive Director Bio loading!
Erin spring
Music Programs Manager
Erin Spring has been a practicing music therapist in Ohio since 2007. She interned with the Music School Settlement & Cleveland Clinic and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music therapy from Ohio University, where she has served as an adjunct professor and guest lecturer. In 2010, Erin founded Central Ohio Music Therapy, LLC (COMT) as a private practice, which has since grown into a team of highly qualified therapists and musicians serving communities across central, N.E. & S.E. Ohio. As Executive Director, Erin leads COMT in providing music therapy services and programs across diverse settings and populations. Her team also supports arts-based nonprofits through administrative services.
Erin is passionate about advocacy and spent nearly a decade with the Ohio Music Therapy Task Force, serving six years as co-chair, before seeing music therapy licensure signed into Ohio law in 2023. In 2024, she was appointed by Governor Mike DeWine to Ohio's newly formed music therapy licensing board. Locally, Erin directs the Circleville Presbyterian Handbell Choir, teaches swimming at the Pickaway County YMCA, and is a founding board member of the HumanKINDness Alliance. She lives in Circleville with her husband Jeremy, daughter Ella, and their goldendoodle, Teddy.
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
New Provider coming soon!
Literacy Through Music
New Provider coming soon!
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!