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 the Ulster Orchestra. In 2023 she was a trialist with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. In the UK she regularly freelances with the London Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and BSO, among others. Lavinnia has been on contract with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and has appeared as acting principal cello of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.
Her chamber music highlights include featuring as a guest artist in the New Zealand String Quartet, including a 2026 national tour, and touring in the Antipodes Quartet with Chamber Music New Zealand in 2025. She also performed at the Hellensmusic Festival alongside Tom Poster, Tom Mathias, Maya Iwabuchi and Lawrence Power, and attended 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 the London Symphony Orchestra, at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, under the tutelage of LSO principal cellist Rebecca Gilliver.