Duo Estelle is a Canadian voice and guitar duo comprised of the Saskatoon-based soprano Terri-Lynn Mitchell and Emily Shaw, a classical guitarist living in Ottawa. The pair met in a contemporary music class while studying in London, Ontario in 2014 and, having thoroughly enjoyed their first collaboration, they continued to make music together while completing master’s degrees in Ottawa, Ontario. After graduating, Terri-Lynn and Emily continued to dabble in voice and guitar chamber music until they finally decided to go all in and make Duo Estelle a reality in 2019 despite the long-distance nature of their relationship. As a duo, Terri-Lynn and Emily bring a variety of music to their audiences, mixing contemporary classical repertoire with Baroque music and Renaissance lute songs with popular favourites.
In addition to performing in the expected manner as a guitar and voice duo, Terri-Lynn and Emily are also interested in exploring the relationship between music and visual art, capitalizing on Terri-Lynn’s experience as a soundscape painter. When concert spaces permit, it is not uncommon to see Terri-Lynn singing with paint in hand, or to hear Emily performing solo guitar repertoire as inspiration for the creation of a new work of art.
Terri-Lynn and Emily also collaborate to present “Paint Your Music” workshops. “Paint Your Music” is an immersive intersection of improvisational painting and musical expression. The aim is to develop a connection of expression between Classical Music and painting using acrylics and brushes. In this workshop, participants create a piece of soundscape art based on their explorations during the class.
