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Artist Spotlight

Pianist Minna Re Shin presents a new album “Sonate Tableaux”

In collaboration with ombú productions and the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation, Gallery Gora of Montreal welcomes on June 15th the Canadian pianist Minna Re Shin who will publicly present her most recent multidisciplinary project based on the four-movement work for piano solo by Canadian composer Alain Payette, Sonate Tableaux, which serves as the inspiration for the recording of a digital album and video.

Indulge in the live performance of this dynamic pianist and feel the intense passion and musical poetry that will come to life under her deft fingers. Enjoy the public presentation of the music video which has recently garnered recognition, honours, and distinctions on the international scene, including the Best Classical Music Video Award at the 5th Music Film Festival (Buenos Aires), the Jury Diamond Award for Best Short Music Video at the March 2022 edition of the Europe Film Festival U.K., and the Judge’s Choice Award for Music Video at the 2022 Winter session of the World Premiere Film Awards (Los Angeles). Marvel at the multidisciplinary collaboration among the Canadian female artists who have join forces for the first time in this creative interpretation coloured by the interplay of different art forms (music, painting, dance, and theatre).

With your presence, you will support the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation in its continuous role in raising awareness and funding for cutting-edge research, groundbreaking innovation, and patient-support programs, and offering hope to breast cancer fighters, survivors, caregivers, and communities.

To purchase tickets for the benefit launch concert event on June 15th, please visit https://pianist-minna-re-shin-launch-concert-june-2022.eventbrite.ca.

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The digital album will be available online via CD Baby; please visit www.minnareshin.com/discography/ for updates and direct links to CD Baby for purchase.

Women: Source of Inspiration for the Project

Sonate Tableaux, featuring the musical performance by Minna Re Shin, embraces the theme of beauty, the dynamics of the female body and its movement quality, the empowerment of women, and their role in the art world. Through the prism of her solo piano performance, painter Natalija Jeremic, ballet dancer Catherine Toupin, and mime artist Laurence Castonguay Emery present their interpretations of the Canadian pianist’s rendition of the composer’s work, permitting other women’s voices to be heard through the different art forms featured in the original and multifaceted presentation. The visual musical rendition of the neo-romantic composition interweaves with the imaginative interplay of cinematic applications inspired by the music and the artwork associated with the four movements or “tableaux” of Payette’s piano œuvre.

Minna Re Shin: Pianist and Performing Artist

Winner of numerous prizes in national and international competitions, the Montreal-born pianist of Asian heritage Minna Re Shin has graced the classical music stage with her virtuoso technique, mature artistry, stage personality, and rare sensitivity. This versatile artist has won enthusiasm for her performances of diverse repertoire, including new, lesser familiar works by lesser-known composers who are under-represented on the Canadian and world stage. Here at home and overseas, critics and audiences alike have raved about her performances as “intense,” “inspiring,” and “powerful.” In the words of the legendary Russian pianist Lazar Berman, “Minna Re Shin and her great talent.”

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Since her solo début at the age of ten with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, this dynamic artist has performed in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia and has received high praise as recitalist, as chamber pianist, and as soloist in concerts with major orchestras, such as the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, the Montreal Chamber Orchestra, and the chamber orchestra I Musici de Montréal, and with distinguished conductors like Charles Dutoit, Marc David, and Jacques Lacombe. She has played in many concert series and festivals, including the prestigious International Haydn Festival in Eisenstadt where she made her Austrian début.

Minna Re Shin has also been lauded as a recording artist. Her début CD devoted to Haydn piano sonatas on the ombú productions label has been released to great critical acclaim. Le Journal de Montréal hailed her as a “great performer with great sensitivity and intelligence.” Following the success of this recording, Shin has embarked on a multi-recording project with ombú. Her second solo album, Images & Ballades, which features works by the Canadian composers Alain Payette and Jean Coulthard, was applauded by Paroles et Musique: “the pianist’s interpretation is impeccable; it was as if these two composers had lent her their pen.” Her most recent music album Sonate Tableaux celebrates the world premiere performance of this unknown work, and the complementary performance video marks her début as producer.

For a preview of the video Sonate Tableaux, please visit
www.minnareshin.com/video


To listen to the album Sonate Tableaux, please visit
www.minnareshin.com/media/sonate-tableaux


www.minnareshin.com

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Album Review

R3b3l I explores self-discovery through sound on “A Different Frequency” album

R3b3l I

In a music scene often ruled by lyrics, R3b3l I proves that you can tell a powerful story without a single lyric. “A Different Frequency” is a twelve-track instrumental hip-hop and rap-inspired album inviting you into a deeply personal journey of growth, self-discovery, and purpose, speaking its message purely through mood, rhythm, and expression.

“Dance Before the Throne” opens the album, immediately establishing the tone of reflection and reverence. From here, “Elevate” and “The Wave” continue, adding momentum and a sense of movement and change. Each piece is a chapter in a larger story, allowing you to interpret the music with your own experience.

Songs like “I AM Power,” “Level Up,” and “Awaken” seem to be a big part of the progression of the album. The energy is one of empowerment and inner evolution.  “The Jazzy Hop” is a nice change of pace in style, with a smooth, groove-flavored taste that shows R3b3l I’s versatility. Meanwhile, “Carousel,” “Raindrops,” and “Heartbeat” are moments of introspection that balance uplifting themes with emotional depth and openness.

The project wraps up on an emotional high with “Ancestors,” a heartfelt tribute to the forebears and the invisible forces that still influence us on our journeys. It’s a fitting way to close out an album about connection, growth, and purpose. “A Different Frequency” is more than a collection of tracks with carefully constructed instrumentals and thoughtful sequencing, and it’s a rewarding journey for those who want immersive instrumental hip-hop with heart, imagination, and substance.

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Connect with R3b3l I on | Spotify | TikTok |

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Artist Spotlight

“Signalling Signatures” finds Mr Pigeons exploring dreams, truth, and hidden meanings

Mr Pigeons

While the first look at an upcoming project usually sets the expectations, Mr Pigeons does something more ambitious with “Signalling Signatures.” With this release, the hip-hop artist opens up a portal into “Shining Arras,” inviting you into a world where dreams, symbols, and hidden meanings collide.

“Signalling Signatures” is an exploration of the thin veil between reality and imagination, based on themes of altered consciousness and shifting perspectives. The song is a mix of mythology, film, and spiritual symbolism and encourages you to look beyond the ordinary and find the messages in everyday life. Mr Pigeons delivers with purpose and swagger, blending introspection with crisp storytelling. He also renders the abstract ideas of the song accessible.

The thing about “Signalling Signatures” that is so compelling is its sheer audacity to challenge you. There are no easy answers in this song, only a quest for truth, perception, and uncertainty. A good opening chapter to “Shining Arras,” and it manages to build up suspense as well as showing Mr Pigeons’ artistic vision. “Signalling Signatures” is a good introduction to what could be an interesting new creative phase for the artist.

Connect with Mr Pigeons on | Website | Spotify | X | FB | TikTok | IG |

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