Tonight's Bermuda Festival performance at City Hall theatre will be a double celebration for those lucky enough to acquire tickets: St. Valentine's Day and the debut of pianist Kimberly Cann, whose father is Bermudian Leonard Cann.

Unfortunately for the unsuccessful, tonight's performance of what promises to be an unforgettable event is completely sold out, with no additional performances scheduled.

The "local" event of each year's Festival is always a special one because it highlights the talent(s) of the Island's own, and the fact that it occurs on February 14 makes it extra-special.

US-born Miss Cann's musical genes are apparently inherited through her father, who left Bermuda as a young man to pursue higher degrees in Music Performance and Education.

He met his Jamaican-born wife, Kaye, in college, and in 1982 returned to the Island with his family, where he became the musical director of the Bermuda Institute.

During his tenure, Mr. Cann founded the 70-piece Bermuda Institute Concert Band as well as the Steel Drum Band and the Drum & Bugle Corps.

His hard work in educating the school's youngsters in his programme as well as the wider public about the joys of music also had a profound influence on daughter Kimberly.

Miss Cann's formal musical training began at age seven when the family returned to North Carolina. By age 11 she had given her first solo recital and begun entering piano competitions.

She also learned to play other instruments including trumpet, violin, euphonium, steel drums, bassoon and Gamelan (Indonesian) percussion instruments.

Beginning with her high school days in Florida, Miss Cann has won many important awards.

In 2002 she graduated from Florida Southern College with the highest honours, including National Merit Scholar, and is currently pursuing Master's degree studies in Performance and ethnomusicology at the Eastman School of Music, from which she expects to graduate in May.

Delighted to be returning to the place she calls home, the vibrant young pianist is eagerly looking forward to her Bermuda Festival debut, and to giving back "the gift of music to the place from which I learned so much. For this I am humbled and thankful".

Her programme will include works by Chopin, Brahms, Rachmaninoff and others.

Kimberly Cann's performance begins at 8 p.m. Please note: the doors to the theatre will close five minutes before curtain time, and there will be no late admissions until the interval. For possible returns/ticket information visit the Festival box office next to the ferry terminal on Front Street between noon and 2 p.m., or 296-5774.