2025 Award Recipient
EliasKremer
Project NOTEWORTHE Music
Project NOTEWORTHE Music
Elias founded an organization called NOTEWORTHE Music, dedicated to bringing the therapeutic power of live music performance to seniors experiencing cognitive decline.
Elias began playing classical piano at age five. In high school, when his grandmother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he became interested in the impact of music on the mind. His grandmother’s memory began to fade, but Elias noticed that hearing him play music often made her more attentive, joyful, and sharp—at times even sparking specific memories from her youth.
Research confirmed what Elias had observed: that music therapy can be a powerful tool to slow and even reverse cognitive decline. He decided to start an organization to help the seniors in his community.
NOTEWORTHE Music brings talented student musicians into senior living communities and care centers, providing seniors with the benefits of music therapy while offering young musicians opportunities to practice live performance—all while forging intergenerational connections that benefit everyone.
Elias pitched a music therapy program to Emory’s Cognitive Empowerment Program (CEP), and they adopted it. He has since formed a close partnership with the university, as well as Respite Care Atlanta. NOTEWORTHE Music has recruited student musicians across the Atlanta area and hosted live performances at multiple senior facilities, reaching nearly 1,000 seniors.
An organization that brings the therapeutic power of live music performance to seniors experiencing cognitive decline.
