Matthew Whitaker was born in Hackensack in 2001. He grew up in a musical family. After his grandfather gifted him a small Yamaha keyboard, Matthew’s passion for music began at age 3. Matthew started learning how to play the Hammond B3 Organ at age 9. He was the youngest artist to have Hammond endorse him in its 80-year history. At 15, he was named Yamaha Artist, becoming the youngest member of the elite group of jazz pianists. Matthew has been a musician for many years. He is currently studying drums and classical piano at The Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg School of Music in NYC. It is the only US community music school for blind and visually impaired. He is currently enrolled at Juilliard’s BA Jazz Studies program in New York City. He was previously a student at The Harlem School of the Arts, and was part of the Jazz House Big Band as well as the Organ Messengers at Jazz House Kids. Matthew was also a student of the Manhattan School of Music’s Precollege Jazz program. Matthew was awarded the Charles Mingus High School Competition’s “Outstanding Soloist award” by Jazz at Lincoln Center.
