Meet Mihai Marica, Takács Quartet cellist designate

By Adam Goldstein

Mihai Marica has plenty of musical memories of the CU Boulder College of Music’s Takács Quartet-in-residence.

The Romanian-born cellist can easily rattle off moments he fondly associates with the internationally renowned quartet, currently in its 51st season: Obsessively listening to Takács recordings of the Beethoven cycle with fellow musicians; watching the Takács perform as part of the prestigious Cliburn Competition 20 years ago and being “completely mesmerized”; playing alongside Takács’ violist Richard O’Neill at the Lincoln Center in New York … and more.

“They’re such an honest and natural-sounding group,” Marica notes. “The musical tastes of the Takács Quartet through the eras somehow align with what I like musically, too.”

Starting this fall, Marica will have many opportunities to create more memories with the critically acclaimed group called “the essential quartet of our time” by The New York Times; that’s when Marica succeeds cellist András Fejér—the last remaining member of the original Takács Quartet, who will retire at the end of the current season. Leading up to the transition, Marica will join the quartet for its final Boulder performance this season in Franz Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major, D. 956; on Sept. 1, he’ll step into his role as a full-fledged member, signing on for a season that includes high-profile performances in Boulder and worldwide.

For Marica, his new position is the latest in a long string of prestigious musical roles. He started studying cello at the age of 7 in his hometown Cluj/Koloszvar, Romania, with Gabriela Todor and later Mihaly Guttman, who taught chamber music. “The school of cello playing that I was brought up in was a mix between the old Soviet school and the Hungarian school,” he says. “We were kind of right in the middle of those huge entities.”

From these roots, Marica became a chamber music luminary with a global reach: After studying at Yale University with Aldo Parisot, he went on to collaborate with orchestras and ensembles globally—from Chile to Mexico and from Switzerland to Russia. An alumnus of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Bowers Program, Marica has kept up a presence in that program and on that stage, and he’s called New York home for the past 15 years.

Moving to Boulder will be just one of many big shifts to come as part of joining the Takács Quartet, but Marica never hesitated in saying ‘yes’ to the invitation. “I still can’t believe my luck, that I was given this opportunity,” Marica says. “When I think about it, it’s a bit like the moment when Mr. Parisot said, ‘Why don’t you come and study with me at Yale?,’” Marica adds, referencing another seminal point in his career, “It’s life-changing.”

The Takács Quartet’s 2026-27 season will include works by Gabriela Lena Frank as well as more selections by Schubert, Carlos Simon, Johannes Brahms and Joseph Haydn. Beyond Boulder, the quartet will also bring its signature musical style to Carnegie Hall and embark on a North American tour with pianist Jeremy Denk.

While the composers, concerts and touring aren’t new for Marica, the chance to play with such an iconic ensemble feels novel. Stepping in for Fejér, whom Marica cites as a “model,” will carry its own significance; and aligning with the Takács’ dynamic approach onstage stands as a specific responsibility. “My ambition is to match their energy,” Marica says. “They’ve always blown me away on stage—they’re so direct in their music making, all qualities that I’m aiming to keep in the group dynamic.” 

This article is reprinted courtesy of the CU Boulder College of Music.