John Bertles has extensive experience in Educational Program Development, whether the program be Residency-based, Concert-based or Curriculum-based.  Much of this experience comes from nine years of helping Carnegie Hall create concert repertory for orchestral performances for students, as well as complementary classroom curriculum and study guides designed to help teachers and teaching artists.  He has also created residency programs and study guides for the Guggenheim Museum, Kennedy Center, Sullivan County BOCES, the Grammy Awards and many other organizations.  He was part of team called in by the Grammy Foundation's Leonard Bernstein Center to help them evaluate their existing program and make recommendations for improvements.  Following are some possible areas he can address:

• Analyze existing programs - look for ways to increase the impact of the program with students and schools; examine current programs for components that could be improved or streamlined; advise on ways to extend programs to address new educational initiatives or reach new audiences, etc.
• Create new programs either based on an institutions existing focus points (such as classical music, jazz, instruments, science of sound, etc.) or craft an entirely new program.  The more disparate the elements to be put together, the greater the challenge to find ways to address the elements with integrity, ingenuity and humor, but always with a solid educational foundation.
• Advise how to assemble the various components of a program - Concerts , Teaching Artists , Study Guide , working with school administrations, staff development , planning, etc.
• Advise programs on new initiatives in education including assessment, national, state and local learning standards, curriculum goals, and technology .
• Re-introduction of musical programs for schools which have been devastated by cuts in their arts budgets.  This must be done carefully, in a manner that is non-threatening for both students and instructors.  There is nothing worse than bringing in an arts program that is too overwhelming at first - there should be a gentle reintroduction.