Tönky Hönk
The ËP

Out: July 24th, 2026 on Redshift Records (TK 589 CD/DL/Zine)
Genres: Contemporary Music, Chamber Music
Tönky Hönk: madelinehildebrandpiano.com/tonkyhonk | instagram.com/tonkyhonkduo
Redshift Records:   redshiftrecords.org |redshiftmusicsociety.bandcamp.com

Winnipeg “piano” duo (more on those quotation marks in a moment) Tönky Hönk launched their debut release, The ËP, on July 24th 2026 with Vancouver’s Redshift Records.

The duo comprises Madeline Hildebrand and Everett Hopfner, both of whom have remarkable credentials (each are past prize-winners of Canada’s Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition, for starters). Hildebrand—an erstwhile student of the legendary Gilbert Kalish—has performed alongside important artists such as Philip Glass at Winnipeg New Music Festival, the Kronos Quartet at Mass MoCA, and with Yarn/Wire at the DiMenna Center in New York City, to name a few. Hopfner, meanwhile, studied under Megumi Masaki and has performed in a vast array of contexts, including Italy’s Casalmaggiore Music, Frankfurt’s Senckenberg, and touring with the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie.

The pair’s name and colourful imagery hint at a certain playfulness, but one spin of their debut indicates that this is more emblematic of a collective, childlike curiosity than a penchant for antics or humour. Encompassing pieces by singular American composers Adrian Knight, Phyllis Chen and fellow Winnipeg resident Julian Beutel, the ËP—whose duration is more akin to that of a vinyl LP—is evocative and wondrous, embracing the piano (which is also heard prepared), alongside Fender Rhodes, toy piano, and more. The release is a quietly strong, concentrated statement that is just as likely to endear itself to listeners of ambient, the more introspective end experimental rock and other soft exploratory genres, as fans of modern composition. 

COVERAGE:
List — Upcoming Releases, Tinnitist
List — Upcoming Releases, A Closer Listen
List — François Valenti, Nouveautés musicales du 24 juillet 2026, Caisse de Son
List — Darryl Sterdan, Next Week in Music | July 20-26 • The Long List: 365+ Releases On The Way, Tinnitist
List — Nye releaser 24-7-26, Release Fredag
List — The Moderns Selects (July 25, 2026)
List/ Newsletter — A CLOSER LISTEN weekly #114, A Closer Listen
List/ Newsletter — A CLOSER LISTEN weekly #113, A Closer Listen
List/ Newsletter — A CLOSER LISTEN weekly #112, A Closer Listen
News — Tönky Hönk Announce Playful Debut EP ‘The ËP’ Featuring Adrian Knight, Phyllis Chen & Julian Beutel, The Eksperiment
News — Son of Marketing
News — David Fuller, Free Press Head Start for June 23, 2026, Winnipeg Free Press
Interview — Rhonda Rizzo, Tönky Hönk:The ËP, No Dead Guys
Interview — Anya Wassenberg, INTERVIEW | Piano Duo Reimagined: Tönky Hönk’s Madeline Hildebrand & Everett Hopfner Talk About Their New Release — The ËP, Classical FM/ Ludwig Van
Article/ Round-up — Conrad Sweatman, What’s up (Free Press staff recommend things to do this week), Winnipeg Free Press (June 18, 2026)
Article/ Radio — Nolan Kehler, ‘Gravitate toward the whimsy’: Tönky Hönk releases debut album, Classic 107
Review/ Round-up — Peter Margasak, The Best Contemporary Classical Music on Bandcamp, July 2026, Bandcamp Daily
Mini-review/ Radio — Cameron S, CJSW
Podcast — Different Noises #153
Podcast — The Moderns #429
Radio/ Interview — Thank God It’s Free Range!, UMFM (June 19, 2026)
Radio/ Chart — Top 10 Experimental/ Contemporary Classical, CJSW (August 6, 2026)
Radio/ Chart — #2 – Weekly Top 30, CITR (August 4, 2026)
Radio — 1190 Mixtape: The Cooldown, KVCU (August 10, 2026)
Radio — Pacific Notions, KEXP (August 9, 2026)
Radio — 1190 Mixtape, KVCU (August 8, 2026)
Radio — 1190 Mixtape: Ambient Overnights, KVCU (August 8, 2026)
Radio — All Mixed Up, KMRE (August 7, 2026)
Radio — 1190 Mixtape: Ambient Overnights, KVCU (August 7, 2026)
Radio — 1190 Mixtape: Ambient Overnights, KVCU (August 6, 2026)
Radio — 1190 Mixtape: Ambient Overnights, KVCU (August 4, 2026)
Radio — Sounds of Shibuya, KVCU (August 4, 2026)
Radio — 1190 Mixtape: Ambient Overnights, KVCU (August 3, 2026)
Radio — RTQE, WORT (August 2, 2026)
Radio — All Mixed Up, WMRW (August 2, 2026)
Radio — 1190 Mixtape: Ambient Overnights, KVCU (August 2, 2026)
Radio — Bepi Crespan Presents, CITR (August 1, 2026)
Radio — All Mixed Up, WBTV-LP (August 1, 2026)
Radio — 1190 Mixtape: Ambient Overnights, KVCU (August 1, 2026)
Radio — Noise, CJSW (July 30, 2026)
Radio — No Pigeonholes EXP, KOWS (July 30, 2026)
Radio — All Mixed Up, WERU (July 30, 2026)
Radio — Winky’s House of Love, KVCU (July 30, 2026)
Radio — 1190 Mixtape: Ambient Overnights, KVCU (July 29, 2026)
Radio — All Mixed Up, WPKN (July 28, 2026)
Radio — wtraveler, KVCU (July 28, 2026)
Radio — 1190 Mixtape: Ambient Overnights, KVCU (July 28, 2026)
Radio — 1190 Mixtape: Ambient Overnights, KVCU (July 26, 2026)
Radio — Other Aspects, WAYO (July 26, 2026)
Radio — Ambien(t) Chill, Ellenburg Community Radio (July 26, 2026)
Radio — Bepi Crespan Presents, CITR (July 24, 2026)
Radio — Electric Sense, CIUT (July 23, 2026)
Radio — Classical Connection, CFCR 90.5 FM (July 22, 2026)
Radio — Serious Moonlight Sonatas with Carol, WFMU (June 28, 2026)
Radio — Pushing The Envelope, WHUS (June 27, 2026)
Radio — Electric Sense, CIUT (June 25, 2026)
Radio — Floating Head of Zsa Zsa, WRUV (June 16, 2026)