Con Vivo Music presents:
Exceptet: Game of Squares
Friday, April 17, 2026 at 7:30pm
Con Vivo Music presents the critically acclaimed ensemble Exceptet with an exciting evening of contemporary classical music. The concert will feature the world premiere of Max Vinetz’s Stravinsky-inspired piece Game of Squares, which was commissioned by the Koussevitzky Foundation. Exceptet will also perform the winning pieces from their first call for scores: Sheer by Annika Socolofsky and Volition by Say Mayfire. Socolofsky’s Sheer evokes the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado and Mayfire’s Volition is a meditative minimalist graphic score.
PERFORMERS
Exceptet: Sarah Goldfeather (violin), Chuck Furlong (clarinets), Allison Nicotera (bassoon), Evan Honse (trumpet), Dan Linden (trombone), Catherine Deskur (double bass), David Stevens (percussion)
ABOUT CON VIVO MUSIC
Con Vivo Music is a collective of musicians whose mission is to bring the communal spirit of chamber music to diverse audiences in Jersey City. We pursue this through free classical music concerts performed by world-class musicians. Founded in 2007, CVM has presented over 140 concerts to thousands of listeners - including baroque chamber ensembles, modern operas, kid shows with puppets, string quartet park concerts, and much more. https://www.convivomusic.org/
ABOUT EXCEPTET
Described as a “cleverly-named…pocket orchestra” (New Sounds), Exceptet is an “eclectic” and “quirky” (New Yorker) ensemble reimagining Stravinsky’s classic Soldier’s Tale instrumentation for the 21st century. With a “chattering, post-minimalist sound” (New Sounds), “rambunctious, minimalist, alt-pop energy” (I Care If You Listen), and “excellent playing” that makes for “an appealing, imaginative listen” (Fanfare), Exceptet has continued to commission emerging composers and expand the contemporary repertoire.
Exceptet has performed in festivals and venues across America, including (Le) Poisson Rouge, Roulette, the Ecstatic Music Festival, and MATA Interval Series in New York; Con Vivo Music in Jersey City; New Music on Short North Stage in Columbus, OH; Boston Conservatory; Peirce Studio at the Trust Arts Education Center in Pittsburgh; the Donald J. Farish Auditorium in Providence, RI, and more. The ensemble’s 2025–26 season closes with an appearance on the Bang On A Can Long Play Festival at the BRIC House Ballroom in Brooklyn.
Founded on and dedicated to commissioning new works from young and emerging composers, Exceptet has brought to life over 20 new works for its unique instrumentation, including a piece by Rome Prize-winner Katherine Balch, generously funded by the Barlow Endowment; a trio of works by Brendon Randall-Myers; and compositions by Scott Wollschleger, Fay Wang, Finola Merivale, and more. In 2026, Exceptet will premiere a commission from Max Vinetz funded by Koussevitzky Music Foundation. The ensemble also held its first call for scores in the fall of 2025 and selected submissions by Annika Socolofsky and Say Mayfire to perform in April 2026.
Exceptet released its debut album on New Focus Recordings in 2025. Tree Lines, which features “three ingenious pieces” (Fanfare), including Balch’s eponymous work, was generously supported by The Aaron Copland Fund for Music Recording Grant. Exceptet is a recipient of a 2026 grant from Chamber Music America’s Ensemble Forward program, funded through the generosity of the New York Community Trust. The group’s forthcoming record, a portrait album of works by Brendon Randall-Myers, will be released on New Focus Recordings in August 2026.
TICKETS:
General Admission: FREE RSVP
CVM works to ensure that our concerts are accessible to all. If you require a special accommodation or have specific questions, please contact us prior to your visit.
CVM’s 2026 Season is supported by The Langworthy Foundation
This program is made possible by a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a division of the Department of State, and administered by the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, Craig Guy, Hudson County Executive & the Hudson County Board of County Commissioners.
Supported by public funds from the Jersey City Arts and Cultural Trust Fund.
Friday, April 17, 2026
Show: 7:30 PM | Runtime: ~1 hour
Art House Productions
345 Marin Boulevard, Jersey City, NJ
ACCESSIBILITY
Art House Productions is committed to accessibility and inclusion. Features include:
- Wheelchair-accessible seating
- ASL interpretation upon request (two weeks’ notice)
- Audio description upon request (two weeks’ notice)
- Service animals welcome
- Fully accessible restrooms
For accommodations, call 201-579-0532 or email Meredith@arthouseproductions.org.
Directions:
https://www.arthouseproductions.org/pages/directions
Parking Options:
Street parking where available.
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Public Transportation:
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