The Backman Trio is a piano trio that was formed in 2009. Our first season began with a summer tour of Finland and continued with concerts across London and England. Generous financial support from the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland enabled us to return in 2011 when we performed in the Erik Bergman Centenary Concert alongside Sakari Oramo OBE and in the Emäsalo Music Festival. In 2012 we toured with our “Young Composers” programme, playing youthful works by Ireland, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, Bergman and Sibelius at the Sibelius Museum in Turku and the Camerata Hall, in Helsinki’s world renowned new Music Centre. We also made the premiere recording of Erik Bergman’s Trio Op. 2 in the studios of Finnish Radio station YLE 1. We recently released our debut CD “Fantasia”, a culmination of our work to promote Finnish and British music over the past four years.
Individual biographies
Frida Backman
Marcus Andrews
Frida Backman
Frida Backman is from Kauniainen in Finland and is now settled in Hampshire. A keen performer of chamber music, Frida has undertaken trio and duo concert tours across Finland and the UK, and has given performances in Spain, Germany and Romania. First appearing as a concerto soloist at the age of nine, she has since performed concerto
Frida Backman is from Kauniainen in Finland and is now settled in Hampshire. A keen performer of chamber music, Frida has undertaken trio and duo concert tours across Finland and the UK, and has given performances in Spain, Germany and Romania. First appearing as a concerto soloist at the age of nine, she has since performed concertos including the Sibelius and Brahms with the Arion Orchestra, Redhill Sinfonia, Trinity Laban String Ensemble, and with Finnish student and youth orchestras. She guest leads the Bristol Ensemble, plays as an extra with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and coaches the 1st violin sections of the Hampshire County Youth Orchestras.
Frida graduated from Trinity College of Music and the Music Conservatoire in Lahti (Lahden ammattikorkeakoulu, Musiikin laitos) in 2005, and from the Royal Academy of Music in 2007. Important teachers and mentors have included Brien Stait (08-14), Robert Jacoby and Diana Cummings FRAM. She was a participant in the International Enescu violin competition in Bucharest in 2007, won 1st Prize in the Leonard Smith & Felicity Young chamber music competition, 2nd prize in the Gladys Puttick improvisation competition and the Silver Medal in the Marlow Concerto Competition.
Ruth Beedham
Marcus Andrews
Frida Backman
Ruth Beedham studied at Trinity College of Music with Alison Wells and Natasha Pavlutskaya. Whilst at Trinity Ruth won the Leonard Smith Prize for string and piano duo and was also awarded a scholarship to continue her studies with a postgraduate diploma. She now studies privately with Naomi Butterworrth.
Ruth leads a varied career
Ruth Beedham studied at Trinity College of Music with Alison Wells and Natasha Pavlutskaya. Whilst at Trinity Ruth won the Leonard Smith Prize for string and piano duo and was also awarded a scholarship to continue her studies with a postgraduate diploma. She now studies privately with Naomi Butterworrth.
Ruth leads a varied career as a chamber musician. As well as her work with The Backman Trio, Ruth gives recitals with pianist Marcus Andrews and is also a member of Duo Cello who perform at high profile events at top London venues including Channel 4 and Mansion House. Ruth has been guest soloist with Wandsworth Symphony Orchestra and St Paul’s Sinfonia and more recently has made a solo demo recording for Oscar winning composer Rachel Portman.
In addition to her performing work Ruth teaches cello privately and at City of London School.
Marcus Andrews
Marcus Andrews
Marcus Andrews
Marcus Andrews studied piano with Yvonne Dinwiddy, with Simon Young at Trinity College of Music and with Neal Larrabee at the University of Connecticut. Winner of the Trinity College of Music Trust Silver Medal and the TWIYCA Accompanist Prize, he is in much demand as a soloist and chamber musician, working with many instrumentalists
Marcus Andrews studied piano with Yvonne Dinwiddy, with Simon Young at Trinity College of Music and with Neal Larrabee at the University of Connecticut. Winner of the Trinity College of Music Trust Silver Medal and the TWIYCA Accompanist Prize, he is in much demand as a soloist and chamber musician, working with many instrumentalists and singers throughout the UK. His work has taken him to Bermuda, Germany, the USA and to the Wilhelm Kempff Foundation Beethoven Masterclass in Italy. His recent engagements include concerto appearances in London and Germany, performances for the Park Lane Group at the Wigmore Hall and Purcell Room and a tour of Lebanon.
In addition to his performing work, Marcus teaches piano at City of London School for Girls, Highgate School, Walthamstow Hall and privately. He also accompanies at all the London Conservatoires and is an examiner for the ABRSM.