We celebrate the joy of live music….
Promoting musical events of diverse genres by top-ranked artists and
providing musical opportunities for under served children and their families
Artist Director to Join CityMusic's Board
City Music is a non profit organization in Columbus working to provide high quality music lessons and experiences for underserved children.
As a trustee, Mr. Braig will oversee, content, strategic planning and lend his expertise to the longtime organization.
COLUMBUS, OHIO – 5/1/2022 – Mr. Eugene Braig has accepted a trustee role on the Board of City Music. CityMusic is a non-profit organization based in Columbus with a dual mission; to promote musical events of diverse genres with top-ranked artists and to support the funding of high quality music experiences for underserved children in the community. CityMusic has operated for more than 40 years and will be offering new programming this fall in addition to the current programs they currently support.
Mr. Braig, the longtime Artistic Director of the Columbus Guitar Society's concert series, will be lending his experience to the administrative board of CityMusic. Mr. Braig is truly a Renaissance man. Although he has an impressive background in music, he is a biologist by trade. Mr. Braig is a fisheries biologist by training and applied-limnology jack of all trades in practice; Program Director for Aquatic Ecosystems with OSU Extension; and charged with outreach, classroom teaching, and research. He is a current Co-Chair of the Mississippi River Basin Panel (one of the regional advisories to the national Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force). Eugene is also a Trustee of the Ohio Biological Survey, serves on the Olentangy State Scenic River Advisory Council, and is active with several additional advisory committees and professional organizations (including the Water Management Association of Ohio, the Ohio Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, the North American Lake Management Society, and others).
Fully embracing nerd status, he moonlights as a classical musician and serves as Artistic Director of the Columbus Guitar Society’s concert series. Mr. Braig is a regular member of the chamber ensembles Gruviera Armonico (founding member), Flute Cocktail, Columbus Musicians LLC, and Duo Kapelle.
On mandolin and guitar, Mr. Braig has been active on central Ohio’s classical music scene for more than two decades. He is the long-time Artistic Director of the Columbus Guitar Society’s concert series; is a regular member of several local chamber ensembles; and has performed at events held by Capital University, Otterbein University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Ohio State
University, the Central Ohio Flute Association, the Dayton Mandolin Orchestra, the Central Ohio Symphony, innumerable private events and weddings, and others.
The Board offers him an enthusiastic welcome and looks forward to his expertise in event planning and performance!
Organization Information
CityMusic was founded in 1981 with the mission to provide musical opportunities and education to under-served children and families in Central Ohio and to present unique musical events of diverse genres by top-rank artists.
Our vision is that music enhances learning, literacy, enrichment, spirituality and creativity. Exposure to music builds a better community. CityMusic Columbus can enrich the lives of children by filling the gaps in their musical experiences.
To contact CityMusic, or to help support our programs send us an email at executivedirector@citymusiccolumbus.org, visit our website https://www.citymusiccolumbus.org/, or follow us on twitter @citymusiccbus or like us on Facebook.
Area Music Therapist to Serve as Executive Director
COLUMBUS, OHIO – 4/26/2022 – The Board of City Music has named Ceara Chiapparelli MM, MMT, MT-BC to serve as Executive Director. City Music is a non-profit organization based in Columbus with a dual mission; to promote musical events of diverse genres with top-ranked artists and to support the funding of high quality music experiences for underserved children in the community. City music has operated for more than 40 years and will be offering new programming this fall in addition to the current programs they currently support.
Ms. Chiapparelli joins City Music through a partnership with Central Ohio Music Therapy, LLC. The music therapy company provides staffing and resources for several of the programs offered by City Music.
Ms. Chiapparelli became a board certified music therapist in August of 2014. She holds a bachelor's degree in vocal performance; a graduate certificate in music therapy; two master's degrees; one in vocal performance and pedagogy and one in music therapy; and has taken additional post graduate course work toward a DMA in Vocal Pedagogy.
Prior to her work as a music therapist, she worked as a singer and educator both in private voice and K-12 Public school settings. She shares, “In retrospect, I guess I always found myself drawn toward the work of a music therapist - long before I knew what a music therapist was. When I discovered I could train as a music therapist, it was a life changing moment.” During her tenure as an educator she most enjoyed working with children with neurodiverse developmental and educational needs. When she began her doctoral studies and found her potential dissertation topic was directly related to music therapy she went immediately to the registrar and changed majors.
Ms. Chiapparelli completed her music therapy education at Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA, completing both of her degrees there. Her internship was conducted at the Louis and Lucille Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in NYC. Her specializations during that time were Pediatrics, Oncology and Palliative Care. Ms. Chiapparelli has spent the majority of her time since then working in medically related fields, with additional work in both children and adults with neurodiverse needs. She has begun programs in Surgical ICU, inpatient and outpatient Oncology, NICU and Hospice. Ms. Chiapparelli also serves as a Music Therapist and Internship Director for a Music Therapy Program in a Hospice with an approximately 500 person census.
She has additional NICU training as well as Sound Birthing Training (music therapy assisted childbirth). She serves as the Communications Co-Chair and has been a member of the Ohio State Licensure Task Force since 2019. Ms. Chiapparelli’s additional passion is program development and mentorship. Her master's thesis topic was Grant Writing and Endowments in Music Therapy.
Ms. Chiapparelli has been a Columbus resident since 2017. After believing she would always live on the east coast, she and her family have absolutely fallen in love with Columbus! She loves that Columbus is absolutely thriving and has so many great elements of living in a city, but also has a tremendous sense of community. She lives in the 270 circle with her husband, two boys and their Yorkshire Terrier.
Ms. Chiapparelli shares, “I jumped at the opportunity to work with City Music! They are an incredibly engaged organization with a lot of passion and a mission that is making a true difference. Music can be a powerful force for good - empowering, engaging and inspiring everyone it touches. The mission of making it more accessible for all young people in our community is one I am proud to help serve.”
