Matthew Whitaker celebrates 'Connections' and performs at FMDG in Manhattan

Pianist Matthew Whitaker, who has been blind since birth, is giving back to the school that shaped his talent: the vital, one-of-a-kind Filomen M. D' Agostino Greenberg (FMDG) Music School.

The non-profit organization in Manhattan stands as one of the only community music schools in the country dedicated to helping people with vision loss or blindness. Matthew's impressive performance history includes prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, the Apollo Theater, and many others. He joined me for the latest episode of Harmonious World as he prepares to perform a benefit concert for his alma mater.

It was a great pleasure to chat with Matthew about his craft as a composer and pianist and especially to hear him play a little while we talked.

On 17 October Matthew's quintet and FMDG students will join him in concert. Since its inception, FMDG has helped more than 25,000 students, including notable talents such as jazz piano prodigy Matthew Whitaker and Grammy Award-winning musician and singer-songwriter Jose Feliciano, as well as children and young people enrolled in public and private schools, professional musicians, college-bound students, and people who wish to enrich their lives through lifelong learning in music in a structured and fun environment that allows for the achievement of excellence without limitations.

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Hilary Seabrook - writer, podcaster, musician

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