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.

Exceptet is: