Meet Our Team

Our Story

Gemma Wang conceptualized The Melody Project by combining her lifelong passion for piano with a deep desire to give back to her community. Spending summer 2024 developing a detailed plan, she connected with Karen Young at Sweet Readers — a literacy and connection nonprofit — and began developing a specialized musical program for nursing home residents with Alzheimer's disease. With Sweet Readers' early encouragement, Gemma recruited fellow musicians Suman Shah and Evelyn Zhang, and The Melody Project grew into a fully independent organization, expanding to chapters across several cities, states, and soon, countries.

As of summer 2026, recognizing a deep alignment in mission and the power of uniting their communities, The Melody Project merged with Project Blue Star, an intergenerational nonprofit founded in 2021 that had connected over 800 older adults with high school students across six chapters in Minnesota. Together, the combined organization continues to expand its chapter model, deepen its research partnerships, and build a movement that bridges generations through music and human connection.