By Stephanie Powell
In 2020, the Takács Quartet will welcome violist Richard O’Neill, who will step in to replace current violist Geraldine Walther. After 15 years, Walther has announced she will be retiring after this season.
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The quartet, which was founded in 1975 in Budapest, still has one founding member: cellist András Fejér. The ensemble also includes violinists Edward Dusinberre and Harumi Rhodes.
“Joining the Takács Quartet is the greatest honor of my life,” Richard O’Neill said in a statement. “I am thrilled to follow in the footsteps of one of my heroes, the great Geraldine Walther, whom I have listened to and adored since I was a child. I look forward to the joy of making music with Ed, Harumi and András and will do my best to uphold the esteemed tradition of the Takács Quartet.”
On her tenure with the group, Walther added, “I have loved being a member of the Takács Quartet and am grateful for all the friends I’ve made along the way. I am very happy to hand the baton over to the wonderful violist and musician, Richard O’Neill, and wish the group every success for their future together!”