Matthew Whitaker

Experience an electrifying evening of jazz with 2026 Grammy Award-winning pianist and organist Matthew Whitaker. 

Grammy-winning, Emmy and NAACP Image Award-nominated bandleader, composer, and arranger Matthew Whitaker leads his quintet in a vibrant program highlighted by the young multi-instrumentalist’s awe-inspiring talent and energetic stage presence. Known for his virtuosic musicianship and adventurous approach, Whitaker brings together dazzling technique, improvisation, and a distinctive contemporary sound.

Back at SPAC following his debut at Saratoga Jazz Festival in 2022, Whitaker returns for the first installment of the McCormack Jazz Series at the newly renovated Spa Little Theater.

Part of the McCormack Jazz Series, an annual jazz-centric programming series at Spa Little Theater in honor of “Saratoga’s Champion of Jazz,” Don McCormack, and his family. Learn more

Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, November 20 at 10AM.

SPAC Member presale takes place November 12–18, tiered by membership level:

• President’s Circle, Premiere Patron, & Corporate Visionary: Thursday, November 12 at 10AM ​
• Golden Patron, Corporate Innovator, & Corporate Pioneer: Friday, November 13 at 10AM
• Patron, Corporate Leader, & Corporate Mentor: Monday, November 16 at 10AM
• Bravo & Encore: Tuesday, November 17 at 10AM​
• Applause & Ovation: Wednesday, November 18 at 10AM​

Not a member? Join today for presale access!

This program is approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes long, inclusive of one intermission.

Performers

MATTHEW WHITAKER, keys, organ
MARCOS ROBINSON, guitar
JOSHUA GREEN, drums
EYTAN SCHILLINGER-HYMAN, bass
IVAN LLANES, percussion 

Matthew Whitaker is a Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, composer, and arranger, and an Emmy and NAACP Image Award–nominated artist.

Matthew’s passion for music was sparked at the age of three, when his grandfather gifted him a keyboard. Over the years, Matthew’s artistry has reached audiences around the world, and he has been featured on major television programs such as Showtime at the Apollo, the Today Show, Ellen, and 60 Minutes. 

As a multifaceted artist, Matthew has starred in, produced, and scored the Emmy-nominated All-Arts documentary “About Tomorrow.” He also composed the score for the film “Starkeisha,” now streaming on Hulu, and contributed to the Emmy-winning Apple TV commercial “The Greatest.” In 2023, Matthew made his debut as musical director for the award-winning musical “Billy Strayhorn: Something to Live For,” which premiered in Pittsburgh, PA. 

Matthew has appeared as a guest soloist with leading orchestras and symphonies, including the Aspen Chamber Symphony under guest conductor Marin Alsop, the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa led by Alexander Shelley, and the Bella Music Foundation at UNESCO House in Paris under the direction of Helen Cha-Pyo. He also composed a work for the 82-piece Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra in Sofia, featured in the All-Arts documentary “About Tomorrow.” For Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s 2024–2025 season, Matthew created the score “Finding Free,” choreographed by Hope Boykin, which premiered in New York City and toured nationally. His collaborators include Jon Batiste, Christian McBride, Derrick Hodge, Bootsy Collins, Ray Chew, NEA Jazz Master Regina Carter, and Anderson Paak, and he notably performed at the 2024 Paralympics Handover Ceremony. 

Matthew Whitaker won a 2026 Grammy Award for his work as an arranger on “Super Mario Praise Break” with the 8-Bit Big Band; the group’s album featuring the song was also nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. He is a three-time recipient of the ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award and has released four studio albums: “Outta The Box,” “Now Hear This,” “Connections,” and “On Their Shoulders: An Organ Tribute” (2024). The latter, dedicated to his organ heroes, was nominated for Outstanding Jazz Album at the 2025 NAACP Image Awards. 

A product of public education and a graduate of The Juilliard School, Matthew is deeply committed to music’s power to connect people and believes every child deserves access to music education. When not touring, he invests in the next generation of musicians as Artist in Residence at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he teaches piano, music theory, jazz ensembles, and choirs. He is also an advocate for people with disabilities and consults with companies to improve accessibility. 

This program is made possible in part with generous support from
Phinney Design Group and LeChase Construction