At the Takács, Changing of the Guard

Just on the heels of winning Chamber Music America’s highest honor, the Richard J. Bogomolny National Service Award, the Takács Quartet, in its 50^th-anniversary year, will lose its sole remaining original member, cellist András Fejér, at the end of the 2025-26 season. In comments, the other members--violinists Edward Dusinberre and Harumi Rhodes, and violist Richard O’Neill—thanked him “for the fulfilling and fun quartet work we’ve been lucky enough to share, for the strength and integrity of his cello playing and musicianship sustained over more than five decades, for his friendship, support and humor.”  

Filling Fejér’s very large shoes will be Romanian-born cellist Mihai Marica, an alumnus of the Bowers young artist program at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, as well as a multiple award winner and well-travelled chamber musician and soloist. He starts in September 2026, at which time he’ll also join the faculty of the University of Colorado, Boulder, where the Takács has been Artists in Residence for three decades.

“While cherishing András’s extraordinary legacy, we are thrilled to welcome Mihai,” said Dusinberre, Rhodes, and O’Neill. “From the very first notes we played together with [him], we felt an instant musical connection.”

His first season with the group (2026-27) will include music by Gabriela Lena Frank and a North American tour with Jeremy Denk, performing César Franck’s Piano Quintet. Carnegie Hall and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center are also on the schedule, as well as four concerts at Wigmore Hall, where the group holds the title Associate Artists.

“After 51 years this feels like it’s the right time,” said Fejér. “I've had a beautifully rewarding quality of life; working endlessly on the most inspiring music, with wonderful colleagues who became great friends, seeing the world and performing all over for appreciative audiences who always kept us honest. Heartfelt thanks to all the friends, supporters and presenters over the years — I’ll miss you like mad but I’m excited for the quartet’s future with Mihai.  The pleasure has truly been mine!”

Pictured: Cellists András Fejér and Mihai Marica