Since releasing their debut album of Mozart Trios in 2016, the Rautio Trio has emerged as one of today’s finest chamber ensembles known for their refined and powerfully expressive performances. With a passion for performing 18th and 19th century repertoire on both modern and period instruments, they have developed a fresh and engaging approach to their interpretations of historical masterworks.

The Trio has released two critically acclaimed albums with Resonus Classics and are frequently heard on BBC Radio 3. They have performed at the Wigmore Hall, Kings Place, South Bank, Bridgewater Hall, throughout the UK and in France, Austria and Germany.

In 2022 the Rautio Trio launches the first volume of the complete cycle of Beethoven Piano Trios, recorded on fortepiano. This is the culmination of a wider project charting the evolution of the piano trio from its emergence in the mid-18th century, with the music of JC Bach, CPE Bach, Mozart and Haydn, through to Beethoven’s complex and mature realisation of the genre. Kindly supported by a Continuo Foundation grant, this project, ‘The Dawn of the Piano Trio: Beethoven’s Building Blocks’, refines their approach to performing on historical instruments by drawing inspiration from a variety of earlier works.

The Rautio Trio not only masters core repertoire but commissions new works and is active in working with contemporary composers. In 2021 the Trio gave the world premiere of a new work by Brian Elias at Kings Place, London. This concert was listed in the Guardian’s Top Ten Cultural Events and live-streamed globally. Other highlights include the Trio’s performances at the London Bach Society, Hambacher Musikfest in Germany, SOUND contemporary music festival in Scotland, English Haydn Festival, Pablo Casals Festival in France and at the Haydn-Saal in Vienna.

In addition to performing piano trio repertoire, the Rautio Trio designs innovative programmes by transcribing larger scale works for the ensemble, often expanded with guest players. In 2021 they gave the premiere of Jan Rautio’s transcription of Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony for piano trio, viola and double bass at Hastings Early Music Festival. The London Bach Society commissioned Jan to transcribe Bach’s Passacaglia & Fugue in C min (BWV 582) for piano trio and it has since become a core part of their repertoire. 

The Rautio Piano Trio was originally formed at the Royal Academy of Music, London, and at the International Musicians Seminar, Prussia Cove. They are grateful for the numerous awards received at the start of their careers from the Tillett Trust, Worshipful Company of Musicians, Park Lane Group, Musician’s Benevolent Fund Ensemble Award and a Leverhulme Chamber Music Fellowship at the Royal Academy of Music.