Nelson born cellist Lavinnia Rae resides in London and freelances in both the UK and New Zealand. Lavinnia is currently on trial for sub-principal no. 3 cello with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, and is trialling for tutti cello with Ulster Orchestra. In 2023 she was a trialist with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. In the UK, she regularly freelances with London Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and BSO, amongst others. Lavinnia has been on contract with New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and this past year appeared as acting principal cello of Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.
Her chamber music highlights include featuring as a guest artist with New Zealand String Quartet, performing at the Hellensmusic Festival alongside Tom Poster, Tom Mathias, Maya Iwabuchi and Lawrence Power, and attending the three-week intensive String Quartet Seminar mentored by the Takács Quartet at the Music Academy of the West.
During her time in London, Lavinnia completed a Master of Performance with Distinction at the Royal College of Music with Richard Lester. As a Leverhulme Arts Scholar she completed a MPerf with Distinction in Orchestral Artistry in association with London Symphony Orchestra, at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, under the tutelage of LSO principal cellist Rebecca Gilliver.