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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> Julie A. Orozco <kaybaycar@gmail.com>
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Saturday, August 8, 2026 6:44 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'John Halverson' <jwh100@outlook.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> FW: Matthew Whitaker Invitation to The Birchmere<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hey John,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Can you pass this along to our list? Maybe some people from the chapter want to attend.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Julie<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">
<a href="mailto:tracy.soforenko@gmail.com">tracy.soforenko@gmail.com</a> <<a href="mailto:tracy.soforenko@gmail.com">tracy.soforenko@gmail.com</a>>
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, August 7, 2026 8:43 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'Renee Valdez' <<a href="mailto:reneerome@yahoo.com">reneerome@yahoo.com</a>>; 'Jeremy Grandstaff' <<a href="mailto:jwg@sgendeavors.com">jwg@sgendeavors.com</a>>; 'Julie A. Orozco' <<a href="mailto:kaybaycar@gmail.com">kaybaycar@gmail.com</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> 'Renee Valdez' <<a href="mailto:reneerome@yahoo.com">reneerome@yahoo.com</a>>; 'John Halverson' <<a href="mailto:jwh100@outlook.com">jwh100@outlook.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> FW: Matthew Whitaker Invitation to The Birchmere<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Hi,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Birchmere is a great supper club style venue and this artist reached out. Maybe a set of members want to attend on 8/15.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I like the music and I am considering attending.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tracy Soforenko<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">President, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">202 285-4595<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:Tracy.soforenko@gmail.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">Tracy.soforenko@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.nfb.org/"><span style="color:#0563C1">www.nfb.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.nfbv.org/"><span style="color:#0563C1">www.nfbv.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">National Federation of the Blind. Live the Life You Want<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation\u2019s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> Matthew Whitaker Music <<a href="mailto:matthewwhitakermusic@gmail.com">matthewwhitakermusic@gmail.com</a>>
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, August 7, 2026 8:39 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Tracy Soforenko <<a href="mailto:tracy.soforenko@gmail.com">tracy.soforenko@gmail.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: Matthew Whitaker Invitation to The Birchmere<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hi Tracy,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
Thank you, that\u2019s very kind, and I\u2019d be glad to have your chapters know about it. I hope you can make it yourself.<br>
I\u2019ve put everything below in plain text so it can be forwarded or pasted into a newsletter as-is, no editing needed. Screen reader friendly, no images or attachments to deal with.<o:p></o:p></p>
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\u2014\u2014\u2014<br>
MATTHEW WHITAKER QUINTET<br>
The Birchmere \u2014 Alexandria, Virginia<br>
Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 7:30 PM<br>
3701 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22305<br>
Grammy-winning pianist and organist Matthew Whitaker makes his Birchmere debut with his quintet, playing jazz, gospel, and funk. Whitaker, 25, won the 2026 Grammy for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella, for a chart he co-arranged with Charlie Rosen
and the 8-Bit Big Band. He has been performing professionally since childhood and is blind.<br>
The Birchmere is a supper club with table seating and dinner service, which makes it a good room for a group outing.<br>
Tickets: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.birchmere.com/events/matthew-whitaker/">https://www.birchmere.com/events/matthew-whitaker/</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Venue: <a href="http://birchmere.com/">birchmere.com</a>, 703-549-7500<br>
Artist: <a href="http://matthewwhitaker.net/">matthewwhitaker.net</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
\u2014\u2014\u2014<br>
Two other things that may help:<br>
If any chapter wants to come as a group, I\u2019m happy to work with the venue on a block of tables \u2014 just have someone reach out to me directly and I\u2019ll coordinate it.<br>
And I would love to say hello after the set to anyone who comes out.<br>
If you need photos, a shorter blurb, or anything in a different format, just tell me what would be easiest and I\u2019ll send it over.<br>
Thanks again, Tracy \u2014 I appreciate you taking the time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
Matthew Whitaker<br>
<a href="http://matthewwhitaker.net/">matthewwhitaker.net</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Blessings, </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Long Live The Music!</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Matthew Whitaker</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Karla;color:#0A0B0D;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Website:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Karla;color:#0A0B0D;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in"> </span><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Karla;color:#0000EE;letter-spacing:.2pt"><a href="https://www.matthewwhitaker.net/bio" target="_blank">https://www.matthewwhitaker.net</a> </span></u><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">On Fri, Aug 7, 2026 at 8:25<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">\u202f</span>PM Tracy Soforenko <<a href="mailto:tracy.soforenko@gmail.com">tracy.soforenko@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Hi Mathew,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I would be pleased to share this with our local chapters and would appreciate if you could provide us more details we could share directly with them. Sounds fun and I\u2019m gonna look to see if I can personally make it, but also want to determine
if we can share this with our local chapters. Any detail details you can provide us about the show on the 15th would be very helpful, including links for purchasing tickets, etc..<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tracy Soforenko<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tracy Soforenko<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">202 285-4595<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:Tracy.soforenko@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tracy.soforenko@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">On Aug 4, 2026, at 8:20<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">\u202f</span>PM, Matthew Whitaker Music <<a href="mailto:matthewwhitakermusic@gmail.com" target="_blank">matthewwhitakermusic@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">\ufeff</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Dear NFB of Virginia<span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">,</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="color:black">I\u2019m Matthew Whitaker \u2014 a jazz pianist and organist based in New Jersey. I\u2019m playing the Birchmere in Alexandria on Saturday, August 15, and I\u2019m writing because I\u2019d love to see some
of your members in the room.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">A bit about the show: it\u2019s my debut at the Birchmere, I\u2019ll have my quintet with me, and we\u2019ll be playing material from my recent records \u2014 straight-ahead jazz, some gospel, some funk. I won a Grammy earlier this
year for an arrangement I co-wrote with the 8-Bit Big Band. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="color:black">The Birchmere is a supper club, so it\u2019s table seating and dinner service, which makes it a good room for a group night out.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">I\u2019m blind myself, and I know your members organize outings \u2014 so this is really just an invitation. If there\u2019s interest in a block of tables, I\u2019m glad to work with the venue on coordinating it, and I\u2019d be happy
to say hello after the set.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><br>
If a listing in your newsletter or a note to your chapters would be appropriate, I can send along details, images, and a description. And if this isn\u2019t the right fit, no problem at all \u2014 I\u2019d welcome a pointer toward anyone who might be better placed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you for your time,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Matthew Whitaker</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">The Birchmere: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><a href="https://www.birchmere.com/events/matthew-whitaker/" target="_blank">https://www.birchmere.com/events/matthew-whitaker/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Karla;color:#0A0B0D;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Website:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Karla;color:#0A0B0D;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in"> </span><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Karla;color:#0000EE;letter-spacing:.2pt"><a href="https://www.matthewwhitaker.net/bio" target="_blank">https://www.matthewwhitaker.net</a> </span></u><o:p></o:p></p>
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