Claire and Antoinette Cann


Claire and Antoinette Cann, known professionally as the Cann Twins, are identical twin sisters and professional pianists who perform together as a piano duo.

Early life and education

Claire and Antoinette Cann were born in England in 1963. They studied at the Watford School of Music with Jean Merlow and Robert Pell, before progressing to the Royal College of Music where they studied with Phyllis Sellick and latterly received the President's Rosebowl.
They won scholarships to Banff School of Fine Arts, Canada.

Career

Performing

Since turning professional they have toured extensively throughout Europe, Canada, USA, New Zealand and the Far East. They perform frequent concerts in the U.K. at venues including the Royal Albert Hall, the International Series at the Royal Festival Hall, Barbican Hall, Fairfield Halls Croydon, Colston Hall, Bristol, St. David's Hall, Cardiff, Theatre Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
They have performed with orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Concert Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Philomusica of London, the Wren Orchestra and the London Mozart Players.
They were invited by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother to perform at the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Broadcasting

They have made radio broadcasts in Canada, Denmark, Germany, Israel and New Zealand, plus both Classic FM and BBC Radio 3 in the UK. Their television appearances include: the UK, Japan, USA and New Zealand.

Recording

The sisters first published CD recording, Fantasy, was described by the Penguin Guide to Compact Discs as "delightful and generous,...plenty of virtuosity and,... especially enjoyable transcriptions; both the Sleeping Beauty Suite and the Polovtsian Dances are sparkling examples".
The second recording, Reflections was the Classic FM Critic's Choice. It was described as
catching "... the shimmering tone colours of Ravel's Introduction and Allegro to perfection. No less impressive was Fauré's Dolly Suite".
Their third recording, La Danse, was selected in HMV's Top 49 CDs. Gramophone Magazine described it as "a delightful record,... scintillating in their two-piano and piano-duet format,... totally winning without any preciosity or self-consciousness."

Teaching

They give masterclasses in both Europe and America where they are Visiting Professors. The schools include the Royal College of Music, London, Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, Stetson University, Florida, and Loyola University, New Orleans, U.S.A.

Commissions

Premieres and works written for them include:
The twins have released three albums of piano music:

''Fantasy''

;Track listing:
  1. Rimsky-Korsakoff, Flight of the Bumble Bee
  2. Rachmaninoff, 18th Variation from Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
  3. Tchaikovsky, Sleeping Beauty Suite
  4. Michael Elliot, Berceuse pour deux
  5. Ravel, 3 movements from Mother Goose Suite
  6. Borodin Polovtsian Dances
  7. Terry Winter Owens, Pianophoria No. 3
  8. Gershwin, Fantasy on Porgy and Bess

    ''Reflections''

;Track listing:
  1. Rachmaninoff, Suite No. 2 Op. 17
  2. Ravel, Introduction and Allegro
  3. William Walton, Popular Song from Façade
  4. Gabriel Fauré, Dolly Suite Op. 56
  5. Poulenc, L'embarquement pour Cythère
  6. Schubert, Fantasia in F minor Op. 103

    ''La Danse''

;Track listing:
  1. Saint-Saëns, Danse Macabre
  2. Debussy, Petite Suite
  3. Tchaikovsky Dances from The Nutcracker Suite
  4. Brahms, Variations on the St. Anthony Choral
  5. Edward MacDowell, Hexentanz
  6. Brahms, Waltzes from Op. 39
  7. Liszt, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2

    Awards

They have been awarded :