HIGHTSTOWN: CAPPing off a great run – economy kills Peddie program

By Sean Ruppert, Staff Writer
   HIGHTSTOWN — After seven years of bringing stirring performances and memorable exhibits to the East Windsor-Hightstown area, the Community Arts Partnership at the Peddie School is in its final season.
   CAPPS is an independent and nonprofit organization, but receives much of its funding from donations from the private boarding school, according to Peddie communications director Sean Casey.
   Mr. Casey said finances are the main reason the program is being discontinued.
   ”Unfortunately, with what’s going on with worldwide economic issues, Peddie could no longer support it the way it has supported it in the past,” he said.
   Peddie’s $280 million endowment had shrunk by $63.2 million at the end of 2008, causing the school to delay a large expansion of its faculty housing and temporarily cutting short major renovations to the Ian H. Graham Athletic Center.
   The CAPPS program will continue through the season with upcoming performances, including singer-pianist Billy Stritch on March 29 and singer Carol Woods, who recently starred in a Broadway production of “Chicago,” on April 19. Further events are scheduled through May.
   Mr. Casey said Peddie will continue holding cultural events in the future, but on a smaller scale. He said there are some plans to mark the ending of the program, but nothing has been finalized.
   CAPPS was formed by Robert Rund as an outgrowth of the Community Concerts Association of Hightstown-East Windsor in 2001. Mr. Rund was chairman of the art department at Peddie at the time and now serves as president of the American Boychoir School in Princeton.
   ”CAPPS was formed as the next stage,” Mr. Rund said Wednesday. “It represented an entirely different landscape; three concert series, gallery exhibits, readings by local playwrights and summer programs for children.”
   Mr. Rund said CAPPS grew from a budget of roughly $25,000 as the Community Concerts series to a budget of between $250,000 and $300,000 with 870 subscribers at its height.
   Mr. Rund — an artist manager in New York with IMG management before coming to Peddie — said many of the performers in the early days of the series were secured through his contacts.
   ”As time went on, though, artists came to the venue and grew to love it,” he said. “Most great artists cherish the opportunity to play in a small venue. They most often have to play in larger venues that are not as intimate.”
   All the musical performances have been held at the William Mount-Burke Theatre on the Peddie campus.
   Mr. Rund said there were many unique performances over the years. Among them was Chinese pianist Lang Lang, who played one of his first concerts in America at Peddie when he was 16 years old. He also cited a performance by two-time Grammy winning violinist Hillary Hahn as particularly memorable.
   ”Also the entire Jazz Friday series,” Mr. Rund said. “It was a great venue for jazz, and we hosted some of the finest jazz musicians on the planet.”
   Marilyn Anker, the assistant director of cultural events at Peddie, expressed her disappointment with the end of the program in an e-mail.
   ”For the past seven years, it has been a privilege hosting high-quality cultural performances at such a relatively small venue, but, unfortunately the financial crisis has impacted all of us, including CAPPS,” she wrote. “This is disappointing for all of us in the arts community, but I am heartened by the fact that Peddie School will offer some cultural programs for the community next year.”
   Mr. Rund expressed similar feelings.
   ”I am very sad. We had hoped that it was built to last, but in these economic times, there isn’t anyone that isn’t feeling the pinch,” Mr. Rund said. “I am disappointed, but I am not surprised, I suppose. Nonprofit organizations and independent educators are particularly vulnerable. There is no bailout plan for us.”
   For a complete listing of the remaining events, go to www.peddie.org/capps.