2024 Governor’s Volunteerism & Community Service Award honoree Notes n’ Beats Music School is an Ashburn-based music school that teaches instruments and voice in Western and Indian styles of music. The owner, staff, students, and parents of Notes n’ Beats Music School are committed to making a difference in the community by spreading the joy of music through small pop-up shows and raising funds with large-scale benefit events. They organized and performed in more than 15 pop-up shows in just a few months and raised more than $135,000 for various organizations over the last seven years.  

Veena Pandiri, the school’s owner, organized their first show in order to share her experience as a cancer survivor. This evolved into an annual benefit event in order to raise funds for charities. Each year, more than 50 students participate in backstage operations, marketing, sales, and onstage management, while many others perform. Driven by the mission to serve through music, the school also offers music classes to those without access to music education and performs at shelters, senior centers, fairs, and other community events. Collectively, Notes n’ Beats members volunteered more than 8,500 hours over the past four years. 

Further, the school has supported student projects to collect and donate musical instruments to underprivileged schools. These initiatives demonstrate the impact of the school’s commitment to using music as a force for good, motivating young people to give back.