Trevor Petersen, cello, and Yimeng Xu perform sonatas by Rachmaninoff and Debussy beautifully for guest artist Steven Laven. Petersen and Xu have performed as a duo since 2019.

Mr. Laven is one of 8 guest artists the UNO String Area will welcome as part of the Guest Master Class Series, Spring 2021. He is a South Bend, Indiana native now based in the Boston area, is a member of the Rhode Island Philharmonic, the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra (principal), and plays regularly with the Boston Pops Esplanade and Boston Lyric Opera Orchestras.  He is also an adjunct cello instructor at Rhode Island College, performing in the faculty Proteus String Quartet.  Previously, Mr. Laven 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, and has won awards for his compositions.  As an educator, Steven is an active member of the American String Teacher’s Association, was named MA ASTA 2015 Studio Teacher of the Year and maintains a large studio of young cellists.