Steven Laven, cellist, a South Bend, Indiana native, appears with the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra (Principal Cellist), the Rhode Island Philharmonic, Boston Baroque, Boston Symphony and Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. He is also an adjunct instructor of cello and chamber music at Rhode Island College, performing in the faculty Proteus String Quartet. Previously, Mr. Laven has held titled positions in the Houston Ballet, Houston Grand Opera and Omaha Symphony Orchestras. He has earned cello performance degrees from the Eastman and Manhattan Schools of Music.
Mr. Laven is the Director of Strings at the St. Mark’s School and enjoys composing and arranging music for string players of all levels. His piece “Snake River Stomp” won the 2008 Texas Orchestra Director’s Association composition competition, and his cello quartet version of “A Barnraising” was performed on NPR’s “From the Top.” Ensembles from the Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Houston, Seattle, Colorado and Omaha Symphony Orchestras have performed Mr. Laven’s compositions, as well as youth orchestras and school string programs across the country.
He is an avid chamber musician, and has formed various ensembles throughout his career to explore and create new repertoire.
As an educator, Steven is an active member of the American String Teacher’s Association, (ASTA). As a member of the Massachusetts ASTA Certificate Advancement Program steering committee, he helped establish this program here, which provides students with an incremental means of achieving playing goals, motivating them to persevere and excel in their instrumental studies. He has also been involved regularly with outreach programs via the Boston Symphony education department and is a frequent chamber music and cello section coach for the Boston Youth Symphony.
