About Notes of Happiness

Our Journey

Two sisters, a shared love of the violin, and a belief that a single song can change someone's day.

This organization was founded in 2024 by two sisters, Gunayan and Mayal Kaur, whose musical journey was shaped by the support of their friends, family, and community. Along the way, they developed the values of community service, empathy, and discipline. Through sharing the beauty of violin music with others, the Kaur sisters have brought joy to those around them and hope to continue making a positive impact on the community.

The mission of Notes of Happiness, simply put, is to spread joy and bring happiness to everyone one note at a time. The Kaur sisters believe that even a short musical performance can brighten someone's day, bring people together, and create lasting memories. They hope to continue growing the organization and sharing the gift of music wherever they go. Through performances at senior living homes, childcare centers, veteran homes, and more, Notes of Happiness strives to create meaningful experiences for every audience, one note at a time.

Our Team

Meet the Founders

The sisters behind Notes of Happiness and the heart of our mission.

Founder

Gunayan Kaur

Gunayan is a senior at BASIS Peoria High School with a passion for music and service. She has played the violin for over seven years and has a strong background in both Western and Indian classical music. Since the age of four, she has played the harmonium and sings shabads at her local Nishkam Seva Gurudwara, sharing the beauty of her culture through music.

Throughout high school, Gunayan has served as Concertmaster of her school's orchestra, participated in the AMEA All-Regional Festival for three consecutive years, and performed with the Phoenix Youth Symphony Orchestra for the past two years. She is also an active member of her school's Tri-M Music Honor Society and has completed the Level 10 ASTACAP Examination. Beyond music, she has competed in Speech and Debate for over three years, developing strong leadership and communication skills.

Inspired by her love of music and service, Gunayan founded Notes of Happiness to bring comfort, inspiration, and joy to others through music. She hopes to continue making a meaningful impact in her community and beyond.

Co-Founder

Mayal Kaur

Mayal is a freshman at BASIS Peoria with a passion for music and community service. She has played the violin for over six years and has developed a strong foundation in both classical and Indian music. Since the age of four, she has studied harmonium and sings shabads at her local gurdwara, connecting with her cultural heritage through music.

Mayal has been a member of the Phoenix Youth Symphony Orchestra for two years, served as Concertmaster throughout middle school, participated in the Middle School AMEA Festival Orchestra, and completed ASTACAP Level 6 while working toward Level 7. Beyond music, she has been involved in Junior Tri-M and Speech and Debate, developing leadership, communication, and service skills.

As the co-founder of Notes of Happiness, Mayal is excited to use her passion for music and service to inspire others, create meaningful connections, and positively impact her community.

Growing Together

Meet Our Officers

Friends, volunteers, and collaborators who help bring music and joy to the communities we serve.

Ishbir Singh

Developer

Hi, I'm Ishbir and I'm 18 years old and from London, UK. I studied A-Levels in Maths, Further Maths, Computer Science, and Physics and hold an offer to study Maths & Computer Science at Imperial College London.

I started web development when I was 11 and have since gained experience in various programming languages and systems, and enjoy creating websites for various non-profit organisations to help support their growth and give back. I currently develop and maintain this website in my own time alongside three others.

Trinity Wong

Digital Marketing Manager

Trinity is a high school senior at BASIS Peoria. She helps share the organization’s work through Instagram, program flyers, and event support. She enjoys combining her creativity and interest in digital media with something that brings people together. She believes that music has a unique way of creating connection and making even an ordinary day a little brighter.

Outside of NofH, Trinity enjoys listening to music, exploring creative projects, and spending time with friends and family. She is also interested in science and healthcare and hopes to pursue a career where she can make a positive difference in the lives of others. She is excited to be part of NofH and contribute behind the scenes while helping its music and message reach more people in the community.

Samreen Alam

Activities Manager

Hi, I'm Samreen but you can call me Sam! I'm in 11th grade and I play violin and piano. My favorite composer is probably Tchaikovsky. (generic I know haha) And I hope to continue playing music for fun even after high school! This year I'm going to try and join a youth symphony.

My other hobbies include writing, drawing, and jewerly-making. Despite my love of biology, I believe the arts are just as incredibly important and beneficial to the community. I hope to help spread the joy of music to others for as long as I can!

Neha Nair

Recruitment Manager

Neha Nair is a junior at BASIS Peoria with a deep passion for music. She played the piano for 5 years before beginning to learn how to play the double bass. Currently, she’s been playing the bass for 3 years and singing Indian classical and theatre music for 8 years.

Neha has been in BASIS Peoria’s orchestra for 5 years so far, and she’s been singing Indian classical music for 4 years. She performs at her school’s Battle of the Bands annually, and often performs in musicals as well. Outside of music, she does Public Forum debate, Taekwondo, and is an active member of Tri-m.  Because music has been a strong constant throughout her life, Neha firmly believes in music’s capacity to make a genuine difference for any group of people. Because of this, she’s very excited to create that impact through Notes of Happiness!

Join Us

Bring music to your community

If you'd like Notes of Happiness to perform at your event, or want to learn more about what we do, we'd love to hear from you.

Get In Touch