About US
“A triple header of virtuosity,” (Toronto Concert Reviews), Bedford Trio presents passionate performances of contemporary and traditional repertoire, with a deep commitment to reshaping the future of piano trio music through commissions and multidisciplinary artistic collaborations.
Based in Toronto, Bedford Trio was founded in 2016 and features award-winning instrumentalists Alessia Disimino (violin), Lucia Ticho (cello), and Jialiang Zhu (piano). The Trio is the 2025-26 Artist in Residence at the University of Toronto (U of T), where they host and adjudicate the Piano Trio Composition Competition as part of the U of T New Music Festival, a position they have held since the Competition's inaugural edition in 2020. As the adjudicators of the Competition, they have presented workshops and given world premieres of pieces by numerous emerging composers. Bedford Trio is lauded for their IMMERSED project, with its fourth edition underway, which highlights their dedication to multi-disciplinary presentation of contemporary works written for the Trio, alongside captivating digital art, lighting, and dance by Canadian young artists. Bedford Trio's annual concert series has received support by the Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Government, and Canada Council for the Arts, and frequently features guest instrumentalists, composers, and artists.
Bedford Trio has performed in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Past notable appearances include performing the Beethoven Triple Concerto with the Brampton Rose Orchestra at Roy Thomson Hall (2024) as part of the Skyky Multicultural Learning Foundation’s Fundraising Concert for the SickKids Hospital; featured ensemble in the joint project “New Techniques in Global Collaboration in Musical Performance” between U of T and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (2023); virtual season-opening gala concert of the Tartini Conservatory in Trieste, Italy (2020), the Irene R. Miller Piano Trio Residency at U of T’s Faculty of Music under the mentorship of Gryphon Trio (2018-2020), Chamber Music Fellowship at Toronto Summer Music (2019), Career Development Residency at Ottawa Chamberfest also under the mentorship of Gryphon Trio (2018). The Trio was a finalist in the 2018 Anton Rubinstein International Chamber Music (Germany) and a semi-finalist in the 2019 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition (USA). In the 2025-26 season, the Trio looks forward to performing the Beethoven Triple Concerto again with the Rose Orchestra and presenting a self-produced concert series celebrating music, digital art, and dance by Canadian emerging young artists.
Bedford Trio is committed to commissioning and performing contemporary repertoire by both established and emerging composers. Since 2018, the trio has been working with music students at Earl Haig Secondary School, workshopping their pieces throughout the academic year and performing them as part of the year-end showcase. The trio is dedicated to bringing live music performance to a diverse audience and has given recitals in senior residences, community centres, hospices, and hospitals across Ontario. In 2019-2020, the trio delivered sensory-friendly concerts for autistic youth and their families and performed for adults with Alzheimer in collaboration with the charity organization Xenia Concerts.
To learn about Bedford Trio’s latest events, please visit bedfordtrio.com/concerts and follow them on Instagram @bedford_trio.
Based in Toronto, Bedford Trio was founded in 2016 and features award-winning instrumentalists Alessia Disimino (violin), Lucia Ticho (cello), and Jialiang Zhu (piano). The Trio is the 2025-26 Artist in Residence at the University of Toronto (U of T), where they host and adjudicate the Piano Trio Composition Competition as part of the U of T New Music Festival, a position they have held since the Competition's inaugural edition in 2020. As the adjudicators of the Competition, they have presented workshops and given world premieres of pieces by numerous emerging composers. Bedford Trio is lauded for their IMMERSED project, with its fourth edition underway, which highlights their dedication to multi-disciplinary presentation of contemporary works written for the Trio, alongside captivating digital art, lighting, and dance by Canadian young artists. Bedford Trio's annual concert series has received support by the Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Government, and Canada Council for the Arts, and frequently features guest instrumentalists, composers, and artists.
Bedford Trio has performed in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Past notable appearances include performing the Beethoven Triple Concerto with the Brampton Rose Orchestra at Roy Thomson Hall (2024) as part of the Skyky Multicultural Learning Foundation’s Fundraising Concert for the SickKids Hospital; featured ensemble in the joint project “New Techniques in Global Collaboration in Musical Performance” between U of T and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (2023); virtual season-opening gala concert of the Tartini Conservatory in Trieste, Italy (2020), the Irene R. Miller Piano Trio Residency at U of T’s Faculty of Music under the mentorship of Gryphon Trio (2018-2020), Chamber Music Fellowship at Toronto Summer Music (2019), Career Development Residency at Ottawa Chamberfest also under the mentorship of Gryphon Trio (2018). The Trio was a finalist in the 2018 Anton Rubinstein International Chamber Music (Germany) and a semi-finalist in the 2019 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition (USA). In the 2025-26 season, the Trio looks forward to performing the Beethoven Triple Concerto again with the Rose Orchestra and presenting a self-produced concert series celebrating music, digital art, and dance by Canadian emerging young artists.
Bedford Trio is committed to commissioning and performing contemporary repertoire by both established and emerging composers. Since 2018, the trio has been working with music students at Earl Haig Secondary School, workshopping their pieces throughout the academic year and performing them as part of the year-end showcase. The trio is dedicated to bringing live music performance to a diverse audience and has given recitals in senior residences, community centres, hospices, and hospitals across Ontario. In 2019-2020, the trio delivered sensory-friendly concerts for autistic youth and their families and performed for adults with Alzheimer in collaboration with the charity organization Xenia Concerts.
To learn about Bedford Trio’s latest events, please visit bedfordtrio.com/concerts and follow them on Instagram @bedford_trio.
Alessia Disimino - Violin
Award-winning Toronto and Boston-based violinist Alessia Disimino is recognized for her thoughtful musicality and instinctive interpretations. Described as "one of Toronto's finest violinists" (Snapd Beaches/Danforth), she is the co-founder and violinist of the Bedford Trio, 2025/26 Guest Artist in Residence at the University of Toronto with the Bedford Trio (since 2020), Teaching Assistant of the Boston College Symphony Orchestra and Chamber programs, and Concertmaster of the Harvard Griffin GSAS Student Center Orchestra.
Alessia attended the University of Toronto, where she received her Bachelor and Master in Violin Performance. She is currently pursuing her Master of Theological Studies at Boston College’s Clough School of Theology and Ministry, exploring the intersection of theology and performance practice. She is the founder and former Director of the North York String Academy (2017-2024), now in pause during her studies in Boston. Alessia's plays on a 2015 Mark Schnurr violin, which she commissioned.
Alessia attended the University of Toronto, where she received her Bachelor and Master in Violin Performance. She is currently pursuing her Master of Theological Studies at Boston College’s Clough School of Theology and Ministry, exploring the intersection of theology and performance practice. She is the founder and former Director of the North York String Academy (2017-2024), now in pause during her studies in Boston. Alessia's plays on a 2015 Mark Schnurr violin, which she commissioned.
Lucia Ticho - Cello
Cellist Lucia Ticho leads a dynamic career as a performer and teacher. A member of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, her recent solo engagements include concerti with the Brampton Rose Orchestra and the Rice University Symphony Orchestra.
A Suzuki-certified educator, Lucia’s students attend top programs at the University of Toronto, the Manhattan School of Music, and the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. She has served as a clinician for the Toronto Youth Symphony Orchestra, the University of Toronto, and the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Taylor Academy. Lucia attended Columbia University, The Juilliard School, and Rice University.
A Suzuki-certified educator, Lucia’s students attend top programs at the University of Toronto, the Manhattan School of Music, and the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. She has served as a clinician for the Toronto Youth Symphony Orchestra, the University of Toronto, and the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Taylor Academy. Lucia attended Columbia University, The Juilliard School, and Rice University.
Jialiang Zhu - Piano
Co-founder of the Bedford Trio, Chinese pianist Jialiang Zhu passionately embraces the roles of performer, educator, concert producer, and researcher. She is a Sessional Lecturer at the University of Toronto and a Piano Faculty at the Royal Conservatory of Music. With support from the Ontario Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts, Jialiang has produced and performed in multiple concert series across the GTA to showcase music and poetry by Canadian and international artists.
Jialiang holds a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on guiding non-Mandarin speakers in Chinese song interpretation.
Jialiang holds a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on guiding non-Mandarin speakers in Chinese song interpretation.
