The Bulgarian cellist, who was a former principal cellist of the Valencia Orchestra, was 82
The Bulgarian cellist Maria Mircheva died on 15 January 2026, aged 82. Mircheva was a principal and soloist with the Valencia Orchestra in Spain, leaving a lasting legacy with the Valencian musical community.
Mircheva was born in Sofia, Bulgaria and began her studies with Konstantin Popov. Her professional orchestral career saw her as a member of the Sofia Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Dublin Symphony Orchestra and principal cellist of the Helsingborg Orchestra in Sweden.
In 1987, she was invited to join the Valencia Orchestra with her husband, violinist Vladimir Mirchev, following their participation at the inauguration of the Palau de la Música in Valencia.
She performed with the Valencia Orchestra under the direction of principal conductor Manuel Galduf, serving as principal cello and as a soloist, performing concertos by Boccherini, Haydn, Saint-Saëns, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Lalo, Elgar and Dvořák.
As an educator, she taught at the conservatories of Carlet and Llíria, teaching numerous students that went to to hold positions in European orchestras.
With Garcia Chornet, she recorded three CDs, including The Cello in Spanish Music, and recorded for radio in Sweden, Switzerland and Ireland.
Mircheva was a founding member of numerous string and piano duos, trios and quartets, collaborating with artists including Mark Lubotski, Josep Colom, Felix Ayo, Michel Wagemans, Jesús María Gómez and Amparo Pous.
In recognition of her career, she received awards at the Kuhmo and Ilmajoki Festivals (Finland), the Brahms Festival (Sweden), and the Santorini Festival (Greece), among others.
’Valencia bids farewell today to the woman who taught the city to love the cello,’ said Mircheva’s son, Jordan Mirchev.
’Following the recent loss of her partner Vladimir Mirchev, the city pays tribute to an artist who, from Sofia to the Mediterranean, dedicated her life to making music, above all, an act of human connection. Her vibrant presence will continue to resonate in every note played by her students and in every corner of the Palau that was once her home.’
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