IDENTICAL twins from Okehampton will be taking part in a unique musical event in Exeter this month when they take part in a special master class ? also taken by twins.

The internationally acclaimed piano duo of Claire and Antoinette Cann have conducted master classes for musicians all over the UK and abroad, but they will experience a first when they meet 17-year-old identical twins Sammy and Mikki Burdus.

Claire and Antoinette, who are also identical, graduated from the Royal College of Music with first class honours in both solo and duo piano performance, the only pianists ever to have done so.

Their musical careers have taken them all over the world and they regularly appear on BBC radio and Classic FM, as well as on the television.

In all their experience of conducting master classes, the twins, who are based near Cambridge, say they have never coached twins ? let alone identical ones.

?I think it?s going to be very interesting,? said Claire.

?Twins have a certain rapport between themselves that usually, you have to build up. It will also be interesting to see if one of them as a player is a bit more extrovert than the other, and how they fit together, who is best at leading and who is best at following.?

Claire said she and Antoinette had natural skills which they had to learn to adapt.

?Antoinette was naturally the leader and I was good at following. I was very good at playing sad music and my sister wasn?t interested in that at all ? but she was great at dazzling people!?

Claire said as twins, she and Antoinette would have an insight into the particular difficulties or advantages that Mikki and Sammy will experience when they play together.

She said they were both looking forward to the master class, which will also include four other teams of pianists.

?The whole programme is really nice. Sometimes when we do a master class everyone has chosen the same type of music, but it?s happened this time that everything is really different,? said Claire.

Mikki Burdus said she and Sammy were very much looking forward to the master class.

Mikki said: ?We didn?t think about it so much before, but when we found we?re the only pair of twins they?ve ever taken, it?s really exciting.?

Mikki and Sammy have taken their Grade 5 piano exams and hope to start Grade 7, if they can fit it in with studies for their AS, A levels and ultimately, university.

They have played the piano since they were about nine years old, but only started playing duets about six months ago.

Mikki said they are practising hard with the pieces for the masterclass, The Hoedown and Saturday Night Waltz by Aaron Copeland.

?We want to get it as good as we can,? said Mikki.

Although identical, the twin?s musical styles differ slightly.

?Our piano teacher says I?m the one that?s into playing faster music, whereas Sammy prefers to play more slowly, so I suppose we are a bit different,? said Mikki.

The master class at 10am on Tuesday July 15 at the Mint Methodist Church, has been arranged as part of the Exeter Festival. The Cann Twins will perform a piano-duo recital at the church during the evening at 8pm.

Tickets priced £9 (£8 concessions) are available from 01392 876464 or on the door.