As the COVID-19 pandemic forces universities across the nation to quickly transition from in-person to online instruction, faculty members are focusing on how to make this change while continuing to maintain quality academic experiences and assess learning outcomes.

Sharing insights on creating well-developed online learning experiences that are meaningfully different from mirroring face-to-face instruction in a virtual classroom was the goal of two Virginia Tech faculty members in an article published recently by EDUCAUSE a nonprofit association that helps higher education elevate the impact of IT.

Barbara Lockee, professor ofinstructional design and technologyand Provost Faculty Fellow, and Aaron Bond, senior director for Professional Development Network and interim senior director for instructional design, innovation, and outreach, co-authoredThe Difference Between Emergency Remote Teaching and Online Learningwith lead author Charles B. Hodges, professor of instructional technology at Georgia Southern University; Stephanie Moore, assistant professor of instructional design and technology at the University of Virginia; and Torrey Trust, associate professor of learning technology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The article seeks to help faculty who have been thrust into the online instruction arena better understand the concepts, similarities, and differences in the design of effective online learning and emergency remote teaching.

Each member of the team involved in developing this article has worked in the area of distance and online education at our own universities for many years, said Lockee. We felt that it was important to convey some key points related to the typical design and development of online learning experiences and how these systematic processes differ from crisis response.

According to the article, effective online education requires an investment in an ecosystem of learner supports, which take time to identify and build. It will be impossible for every faculty member to suddenly become an expert in online teaching and learning in this current situation, in which lead times range from a single day to a few weeks. In contrast to online experiences that are planned and designed from the beginning to be online, the COVID-19 pandemic forced institutions into what is known as emergency remote teaching (ERT), which is a temporary shift of instructional delivery to an alternate delivery mode due to crisis circumstances. It involves the use of fully remote teaching solutions that would otherwise be delivered face-to-face or as blended or hybrid courses.

Lockee, Bond, and their colleagues share the concern that challenges related to ERT could create a false impression of the effectiveness, academic strengths, and engagement opportunities of systematically developed online teaching and learning.

Unfortunately, our current quick shift to immediate online delivery didnt come with the luxury of time to engage in the kind of informed decision-making afforded by standard instructional design processes, as we are trying to address an immediate, pressing need, Lockee said. As online learning is commonly perceived to be second best or of lesser quality, we fear that challenges incurred in such a quick transition to an unfamiliar platform and instructional approaches may intensify that perception among some faculty and administrators.

Bond said the quick transition to virtual instruction is a significant challenge in that a full online course development project can take months when done properly. The need to just get courses online is in direct contradiction to the time and effort normally dedicated to developing a quality course, Bond said. Online courses created in this way should not be mistaken for long-term solutions, but accepted as a temporary solution to an immediate problem. Its important to recognize that online courses that incorporate comprehensive course design processes also typically have more time to evaluate tools and pedagogical strategies.

Advancing Virginia Techs commitment to creating experiential learning opportunities for students is another area that has required creative solutions during the online transition. Lockee said that in some cases such a transition is not possible if the experiences require specialized resources, equipment, or access to specific locations. However, in many cases, transition is possible through innovative application of technology and communication strategies.

Alicia Johnson, a visiting assistant professor in Virginia Techs instructional design and technology program, is using creative experiential learning strategies to involve her graduate students in new ways to communicate, manage projects, and create in a fully digitally mediated environment. In one class, students are creating open educational resources specifically for online instructors. In another class, she is helping students work with a client referred to her by the Apex Center for Entrepreneurs at Virginia Tech. Students in her class are creating digital instruction for the clients virtual reality learning product for World Language classrooms.

Johnsons students are using multiple online platforms to solve instructional and training problems for others, as well as gaining experience in the instructional design process and remote project management. They are creating digital design documents, process books, scripts, storyboards, and prototypes using a variety of digital content creation tools that help them design instructional products to share with their stakeholders. They will be showcasing their experiences soon at Virginia Techs Virtual ICAT Day.

As universities continue to use online platforms to teach, Lockee and Bond say that flexibility and familiarity will be key in how effective faculty are in actually educating and engaging students in a virtual environment. I would encourage faculty to stick with technology and tools that they are familiar with and to consider the same for students, said Bond. They should consider the most important components of course content remaining and teach those components. Trying to get everything in with the time remaining will cause stress for students and faculty alike.

Lockee adds that flexibility will be equally important in terms of how faculty create effective online educational experiences for students and also in strategizing how to wrap up the remainder of the semester.

Its a good time to reconsider our original plans and decide which activities and assessments are essential and which may possibly be adapted or eliminated due to time limitations. In some sense, this quick transition to online teaching also requires flexibility in our own expectations of ourselves and our students as well, said Lockee.

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Helping peers across the nation create tools for effective online learning | - University Business

So, what have you been doing lately? All that time youve been saving by not going to the beach or dining in restaurants has been put to good use, right? You perfected your cast weeks ago, learned how to tie flies (you always said you were going to, as soon as you had the time), and your reading list is all caught up.

Now, before you resort to something drastic, like binge-watching The Sopranos or taking a look at the honey-do list, how about doing something to improve your boating skills? After being out there on the water with a lot of yall, I think this might be just the ticket. Im getting tired of having to send up prayers to St. Brendan (patron saint of boatmen, divers, mariners and sailors) and the Flying Spaghetti Monster every time I see another vessel that might cross my path.

To help you out with that, Americas Boating Club, part of the United States Power Squadrons, has some online offerings. Start with their free how-to videos on YouTube. Americas Boating Channel has a bunch of stuff. A lot of it covers the basics (a great refresher; just sayin), and there are also videos that deal with more complex issues almost 100 of them altogether. Start looking through them at https://bit.ly/2RUlkZt.

If you need more in-depth information, there are 10 interactive online seminars that will provide exactly that. Now, these arent free, but theyre not real spendy either at 30 bucks a pop. Choose from courses dealing with weather, using GPS, marine radio, hurricane preparation, AIS electronics, propane systems, cruise planning and more.

Each of the seminars is about two hours long and provides a huge amount of useful information that youll reference time and again. Go to https://bit.ly/ 3522lSp to see for yourself. If youre not sure whether a seminar is right for you, you can preview them for free.

If youre new to boating, you should get started with a basic boating safety course before you do anything else, including take the helm. You can do that online as well (for $35) at AmericasBoatingCourse.com.

Actually, I recommend this course to boaters of any experience level. Ive had people tell me theyve been boating their whole lives but learned something new when accompanying a new boater to one of these courses in person. Ill bet the same is true online.

While these boating courses will be offered again in person, it might not be for a while. Classes always slow down over the summer when our snowbirds are up north, so you might have to wait until fall. Or, you could take them online now in a safe and socially distant way and start becoming a better boater right now, today. It just kinda makes sense to me. And, bonus, its a great excuse to avoid reorganizing the garage.

Contact Capt. Josh Olive at 941-276-9657 or Publisher@WaterLineWeekly.com.

Read the original here:
Be a better boater: Online education will improve your skills - yoursun.com

The Dean of Faculty of Technology at Delhi University (DU) on Wednesday wrote to the Vice-Chancellor highlighting issues with online modes of education and recommended alternative routes.

With regard to efforts taken by teachers to extend educational resources through digital platforms, the Dean, Sachin Maheshwari, asserted that they could only supplement classroom teaching and had to be made available to all students. However, he argued that many students of the university would not be able to access computers, smartphones or high speed Internet, thus, being deprived. Besides this, he highlighted that effective teaching and conducting of experiments could not take place through such modes.

Mr. Maheshwari also raised concerns of a possible rat race wherein restoration of teaching-learning and online evaluation may be proclaimed for nefarious reasons involving financial, political interests.. This could, thus, prove detrimental to academics, he argued.

Mr. Maheshwari said that the need of the hour was to successfully weather the pandemic and consequently cover lost ground with holistic team efforts. He also pointed to other institutions such as IITs which had advanced their summer vacations instead of going through online evaluations.

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DU Dean against online education, writes to V-C - The Hindu

The "Online Education Market in India 2019" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

With the increasing adoption of the Internet and rise in awareness about e-learning, the online education industry is expected to witness promising growth during the forecast period.

The online education market in India was valued at INR 39 billion in 2018 and is expected to reach INR 360.3 billion by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of ~43.85% during the 2019-2024 period. Ease of learning, flexibility, and a wide range of study materials have influenced the overall growth of the industry.

However, the lack of formal recognition and accreditation, and abundance of freely available content presents a critical threat to the growth of the sector. The industry is moving towards the adoption of innovative technologies like Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), Big Data Analytics, Blockchain and others to improve the learning experience.

Segment Insights

The online education market is segmented into primary and secondary supplemental education, test preparation, reskilling and certification, higher education language, and casual learning. The online primary and secondary supplemental education segment was valued at INR 11.99 Bn in 2018 and is expected to reach INR 123.65 Bn by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of ~46.48% during the 2019-2024 period. The change in consumer behavior towards detailed learning and surge in demand from tier II and tier III cities are driving the growth of this segment.

The online test preparation market is expected to reach INR 94.75 Bn by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of ~50.84% during the 2019-2024 period. This segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment in the online education market, owing to growth in career-focused population, enhanced Internet infrastructure and increased penetration of digital payment methods.

The online reskilling and certification market is expected to reach INR 93.81 Bn by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of ~36.95% during the 2019-2024 period. The growing business landscape has widened the skill gap among employees, which is why the demand for reskilling courses is picking up.

The online higher education market was valued at INR 5.01 Bn in 2018 and is expected to reach INR 40.63 Bn by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of ~40.74% during the 2019-2024 period. The conventional education system is insufficient for the growing population, and therefore students are switching to online higher education courses.

Key Market Trends

Gamification is one of the most prevalent trends among online education providers to encourage learning through immersive experiences. Simulation of concepts, level advancement badges and incentive-based learning are driving user engagement on online education platforms. Online learning players, nowadays, are continuously competing to offer differentiated products to the target audience, mostly by offering value-added services with regular courses. Value-added services like internships, live projects, group discussions, and career counselling sessions, offered along with regular courses enhance users' experiences.

Competition Analysis

The Indian online education market is highly fragmented with around 3,500 edtech start-ups operating in the country. Many foreign players are entering the Indian online education industry. BYJU's, Udemy, Coursera and Duolingo are a few prominent players in the industry, catering to the requirements of different target audiences.

Key Topics Covered

Chapter 1: Executive summary

Chapter 2: Socio-economic indicators

Chapter 3: Introduction

3.1. Market definition and structure

3.2. The online education ecosystem

3.3. Stages of development

Chapter 4: Market overview

4.1. Online education market in India - overview

4.1.1. Historical market size

4.1.2. Forecast market size

Chapter 5: Market segmentation

5.1. Online education market segmentation

5.1.1. India online education market share based on category

5.1.2. Online primary and secondary supplemental education

5.1.3. Online test preparation

5.1.4. Online reskilling and certification

5.1.5. Online higher education

5.1.6. Online language and casual learning

5.2. Segment-wise stages of development

Chapter 6: Technology landscape

6.1. Market trends

6.2. Technology landscape

Story continues

Chapter 7: Government initiatives

Chapter 8: Market influencers

8.1. Market drivers

8.2. Market challengers

Chapter 9: Competitive landscape

9.1. NIIT Limited

9.2. Aeon Learning Private Limited

9.3. Coursera Inc.

9.4. Duolingo Inc.

9.5. Individual Learning Private Limited

9.6. Simplilearn Solutions Private Limited

9.7. Sorting Hat Technologies Private Limited

9.8. Think & Learn Private Limited

9.9. Udemy India L.L.P.

9.10. upGrad Education Private Limited

Chapter 10: Website benchmarking

Chapter 11: Recent investments

Chapter 12: Recent development

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/dkbxph

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200417005258/en/

Contacts

ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

Read more here:
Online Education Market in India Worth INR 360 Billion by 2024, Exhibiting a CAGR of ~43% - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Yahoo Finance

Many educational institutions in the world are offering online courses, and the trend is that more educational institutions will start offering them. Theonline education started nearly30 years ago, mainly in the United States. Online courses and programs are offered as a regular part of an institutions programs. That is, institutions that were initially in class or face-to-face started offering online courses either due to competitive pressure from other institutions or for economic reasons and somedaymay replace the in-class or face-to-face educational system. Online education has become so common that the U.S. News & World Report ranks 345 U.S.online undergraduate programs and 335 MBA programs every year.

Online education is structured learning, in which the instructor and student are separated by time and space, uses the latest technology to bridge the gap between participants in education (Ham, 1995; McIsaac&Gunawardena, 1996).The World Wide Web made the existence of online education possible. In addition, the phenomenon has further accelerated due to the willingness of students to obtain a degree via the Internet anytime from anywhere. It is further made possible by the desire of the educators to teach anytime from anywhere and make some extra money or being a part of their teaching load.

Edu.gov defines An online course as one in which at least 80 percent of the course content is delivered online. Face-to-face instruction includes courses in which zero to 29 percent of the content is delivered online; this category includes both traditional and web-based courses. Accordingly, the definition of an online course has remained consistent for 30 years. While there is considerable diversity among course delivery methods used by individual instructors, the trend continues. The 2015 Survey of Online Learning, Online Report Card: Tracking Online Education in the United States, conducted by the Babson Survey Research Group and others found that the number of higher education students was taking at least one online course in 2015; it is up by 3.9 percent from the previous year. Growth, however, was uneven; private nonprofit institutions grew by 11.3 percent while private for-profit institutions saw their online enrollments decline by 2.8 percent.

While there is considerable diversity among course delivery methods used by individual instructors, the following is presented to illustrate the prototypical course classifications by Ed.gov:

The proportion of Type of Course Typical Description

Content Delivered

0% Traditional Course where no online technology use-

content is delivered in writing or orally.

1 to 29% Web Facilitated Course that uses web-based technology to

facilitate what is essentially a face-to-face

course. May use a Course management system

(CMS) or web pages to post the syllabus and

assignments.

30 to 79% Blended/Hybrid Course that blends online and face-to-face

delivery. Substantial proportion of the content

is delivered online, typically uses online

discussions, and typically has a reduced

number of face-to-face meetings.

80+% Online A course where most or all of the content is delivered

online. Typically have no face-to-face meetings

Ed.gov stated that in the United States more than 2.8 million (14 percent) of all higher education students were taking all of their highereducation instruction online in the fall of 2014. Almost half (1,382,872,or 48%) of those students learning exclusively at a distance did so at a public institution. For-profit institutions accounted for slightly less than one-third (843,579,or 30%) of only online enrollments. Exclusivelyonline education students are a growing segment of the overall student population. 12.5% of all higher education students in fall 2013 were enrolled in online education.

Ed.gov reports that the number of institutions that have or are planning a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) has remained relatively steady. That is, in 2012. 2.6 % offered MOOC and 9.4% with plans to offer. In 2013, it increased to 5.0% offering a MOOC and 9.3% with plans to offer. In 2014, it increased to 8.0% offering a MOOC and decreased to 5.6% with plans to offer. In 2015, 11.3% reported having a MOOC and 2.3% with plans to offer.

Despite muted support by faculty, growth has continued. The study reveals that only 29.1% of academic leaders say their faculty accepts the value and legitimacy of online education.60.1% of the faculty with the largest online enrollments and 11.6% of the faculty with no online enrollments accepts the online program. The academic leader considered online program critical to their long-term strategy fell from 70.8% last year to 63.3% in 2015. The 2015 survey found that the number of students increased by 3.9%. 28% percent of the students (5,828,826) were taking at least one online course, a total of 5.8 million students were taking some online courses (2.85 millionwere taking all their courses online, and 2.97 million were taking some not all). 72.7% of the entire undergraduate and 38.7% of all graduate students were taking online courses offered by public institutions.

As a result of the rapid growth of online education, the quality of learning has been questioned. The question commonly asked, Is online learning as effective as traditional face-to-face education. Research by Arbaugh (2000) andVerduin& Clark(1991) found no significant difference between conventional and online learning. Many studies (Russell 2002,Gagne & Shepherd, 2001)alsofound little difference in the quality of education received through online learning versus classroom learning. That is, students taking online courses performed as well as students taking courses via the traditional method.

However, no one should make a blanket statement that all online programs are as good as face-to-face. It is always hard to judge the quality of something wherethere is no universallyagreed-upon metric. Such is the case for education -where there is no singlemeasure of education quality -either for face-to-face or for onlineeducation. Therefore, the only way to measure the quality of education online vs. face-to-face is to ask the academic leader to rate the relative quality of the learning outcomes for online courses vs. face-to-face courses.Ed.gov evaluated the personal perception of the chief academic officer about the relative quality of online and face-to-face instruction. Their perceptions remain important as they makecriticaldecisions for their institutions.The proportion of academic leadersthat rated online education as good as or better thanface-to-face instruction was 57.2% in 2003 that went up to 77.0% in 2012. However, it went down to 71.4% in 2015.

However, academic leaders at institutions with online offerings have consistently held a more favorable opinion of the learning outcomes for online education than those at institutions with no offerings. Institutions with the largestonline enrollments (10,000 or more distance students in fall 2014)have 41.7% consider it superior to face-to-face instruction. Only27.7% of those with smaller online enrollments (5,000 to 9,999) consider it superior, and 14.1 consider it inferior. 23.2% of the institutions with smaller online enrollments (less than 5,000) consider it inferior, 15.8% as superior, and61.0% the same. 51.2% of the no online education enrollments consider it as inferior.

Whether online education is better, the same, or worse, is subject to whom one asks. As shown above, the opinion depends on who is offering online education. However, there is no real data that prove, which is better. Regardless of the question of quality, many top institutions in the United States and other countries are offering online courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. However, with the pandemic of COVID-19, it seems that not only many more institutions of higher learning will consider it, but also the K-12 (U.S.school system) may find it necessary to start developing online courses. Therefore, the future of online education looks brighter, and those who get on this bandwagon now will grow and make money.

The writer is Ph.D. (USA), Professor Emeritus (USA)

Excerpt from:
Online Education Good or Bad; Here to Stay! - Daily Times

Central Washington University Director of Jazz Studies Chris Bruya jumps on the bike every now and then to get out of the house to clear his head in between outlining his online studies programs.

Director of Orchestral Activities Nik Caoile is in charge of a 75-member orchestra. Caoile is working hard to develop a spring semester, online Band-Aid that will help his department bridge the gap until it can get back to normal, hopefully in the fall.

Fourth-year trombonist Cole Lobdell is from Richland, but continuing his studies here in Ellensburg. He misses that live contact playing in the Jazz Band I, but has picked up a little playing time in a virtual big band collaboration called the Isolation Big Band.

ONLINE EDUCATION

Business as usual at Central Washington University in a COVID-19 pandemic world has become one of creative thought at this point. Between seniors and grad students trying to complete the final quarter; department heads and professors scrambling to put a criterium up online, higher education is finding new ways to make an impact. And, of course the underclassmen are preparing as they settle into their particular field of study.

It is especially challenging in the music department where studies arent exactly an equation that can be posted online. Take away the hands-on exposure of playing or singing together, well lets just say, creativity is the song of the day.

Teaching cannot be replaced by an online format, so this is more of a Band-Aid for the spring and hopefully we get back to normal in the fall. What Im trying to do is make my courses synchronized. When Im giving a common time, Im putting in the material and theyre digesting that material on their own, said Caoile, who received the Outstanding Orchestral Achievement Award from the Washington Chapter of the American String Teachers Association.

Theyre actually finding different motivations as they work their day without a schedule. Theyre learning how to work on that on their own in terms of self-discipline. But what we do is a social art form, and Ive gotten some feedback from the students saying what they really miss is being on stage or rehearsing together, seeing each other every day.

ALL THAT JAZZ

Bruyas jazz department is in the same boat. How does the eye contact and band energy translate to the isolation of education during a stay-at-home pandemic? He said his first reaction was to cancel jazz bands (large ensembles) and combos (small groups) because its just not possible to rehearse online, let alone perform.

It became apparent that cancelling classes would be detrimental to the health of the department, college and university, so I began to think about how we might move in the online direction, he said.

He eliminated rehearsal and playing together in a unified way, but could not eliminate anything else. Playing with proper style, intonation, dynamics, and tone could all be taught and evaluated online.

What Ive come up with is not really earth-shattering or ground-breaking, but it is working and enrollment is at or very near usual in-person classes, Bruya said. What were doing in both jazz bands and combos is asking students to play along with professional recordings, matching as closely as possible what they are hearing on the recording to their own playing. They get a week to master each selection, record themselves, then post their recording for evaluation.

JAZZ BAND I

Lobdell has been the lead trombone in Jazz Band I the past couple of years. Whats going on now is that all three jazz bands have been lumped together and the online structure is for everyone.

Bruya has chosen eight well-known composition/arrangements that have ensemble passages that involve jazz vocabulary, style, dynamics and ensemble playing. It is the kind of playing and musicianship that is consistently taught in the in-person rehearsals.

Were doing more of a curriculum thats designed more toward the teachers career part of band education, said Lobdell. Were listening to the recordings for things we can improve. Were not playing in the concert band at all.

My goal is to be a teacher, so Im getting a chance to these exercises of analyzing and fixing things. So, this is extremely helpful.

SETTING A STANDARD

Said Bruya, With the Jazz Harmony & Keyboard, Ive been considering creation of video lessons for quite some time so Im taking the opportunity to develop fairly short how-to demos, focused assignments and clear outcomes, he said. I think it will work out nicely and if successful I may offer the class in a hybrid mode or full asynchronous online, as soon as next year.

If you would like to hear a bit of Lobdells work online, visit https://youtu.be/ZHIv0LehaC8 (Tall Cotton) or https://youtu.be/FzaJrbzg7Ig (Bounce).

Read more:
Central Washington University music department adjusting to the online education - Daily Record-News

Everyday life can be tough for everyone, particularly for mothers, who juggle multiple tasks and responsibilities simultaneously. Life can be stressful at times with the clamors of kids' attention, the call to household cleanliness, demands of work deadlines, and maintaining strong relationships with or without partners. It would be good to sit back, kick off the shoes, and listen to relaxing music to calm the nerves. For new mothers, seasoned mothers, or even if you are not one, whether stressed or not, shown below are seven recommended albums and a track from the Amazon store.

(Photo : Amazon.com)

An Amazon exclusive, the album by various artists contains an "eclectic classical selection" as one customer commented. The relaxing set of music can be streamed over Amazon Music.

The 15-track album can be availed in double disc audio CD, MP3 and Amazon Music. It contains classical masterpieces from Mozart, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Bach, and other musical greats. One reviewer, who is a retired teacher, called it the "best classical CD." Another said it is "great relaxation music - as advertised."

The track is taken from the album Calm Music Piano: Soothing, Relaxing, Soft Background Music for Sleep, Massage, Spa and More... byCalm Music Guru. Listen over Amazon Music and the MP3 version for a fee.

The album includes 101 spa music songs that can be used as sound therapy music for relaxation and meditation. The tracks feature sounds of nature that is suitable for deep sleep, massage, baby sleep, study, yoga, and Asian Zen meditation with natural white noise. Stream the collection in Amazon Music. It was branded as a "good investment in peace" whilst others gave it a five-star rating for the relaxing music.

om)

The album consists of 16 tracks that include "Song for Sienna" and "Sunset." A customer called it "classical, elegant, beautiful," and added, "very relaxing." Get the collection in MP3 or audio CD and can be streamed unlimited with the Amazon Music app.

The 2LP CD has 18 tracks per disc that will bring peace and serenity to the listeners. The classical music collection is available in MP3, audio CD, and in Amazon Music with streaming unlimited. The classical pieces packed inside are "relaxing" based on the gathered reviews. A consumer considers it as a "piano album that goes beyond relaxing," while another one recommends as suited for today's busy lifestyles.

The 29-piece collection includes the music we dearly loved and sang from our Church gatherings. Featured tracks are "Amazing Grace," "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee," "What Child is This," "Onward Christian Soldiers," "Ave Maria," "Hallelujah Chorus," and a lot of other rousing spiritual hymns. The compilation can be availed in audio CD, MP3, and Amazon Music.

Read more here:

Relaxing Music Every Mom Should Have in the Background - Music Times

Dallas Symphony Orchestra principal harpist Emily Levin and Colin Davin, professor of guitar at the Cleveland Institute of Music, have teamed up as the Davin-Levin Duo.

At this point in the pandemic, relaxing chamber music seems a better antidote for stress than a gargantuan Mahler symphony.

So along comes the debut album of the Davin-Levin Duo, composed of Dallas Symphony Orchestra principal harpist Emily Levin and Colin Davin, professor of guitar at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Titled Banter, it couldnt arrive at a better time.

Arrangements of pieces from the 20th century (all transcribed by Davin and Levin) bookend two works commissioned by the duo in 2016 and 2017.

The first commission, Banter, Bicker, Breathe (2016), by Will Stackpole, evokes different conversations that occur between a couple, according to the composer. The piece opens with agitated flourishes in the guitar and harp that build to a sudden exclamation. Levin then plays a repetitive pattern over which Davin spins out a soothing melody that gradually becomes more dissonant.

At times, the music seems to meander without any sense of direction. More captivating is the conclusion, in which Levin plucks ethereal notes in the upper register of her instrument against continuous murmurings in the guitar.

La Vita Nuova (and other consequences of Spring) (2017), by Dylan Mattingly, builds off the tranquil mood established in the ending of the Stackpole piece. Mattinglys music, which draws inspiration from Dante Alighieris La Vita Nuova, divides into three main sections, followed by a coda.

In the first, a progressively rising figure repeats and varies over time. In the second, a slow, intimate dialogue creates a serene backdrop, and melodic fragments blossom in the guitar. The third part explores the upper registers of both instruments and evokes an unsteady feeling with cross-rhythms between guitar and harp. A return of the opening figure brings the piece to a satisfying conclusion.

Ravels music often lends itself to arrangements. Pieces like La valse and Pavane for a Dead Princess work equally well on a piano alone or played by a full orchestra. Ravels Mother Goose Suite, which exists in both piano and orchestral versions, is another example. Inspired by actual fairy tales, its atmosphere of childlike innocence is effectively conveyed in the Davin-Levin transcription.

Although Philip Glass Etude No. 6, originally meant for piano solo, sounds cheesy in its made-for-Hollywood melodies that alternate with arpeggiated chords and fast scalar patterns, the transcription at least injects some color into the music.

Manuel de Fallas El amor brujo (Love, the Sorcerer), first composed for ballet and orchestra, is missing the fiery energy of winds and trumpet in the introduction, but it does close on an uplifting note, with a repeated tune in the harp that soars over rolling arpeggios in the guitar. Performances are assured and idiomatic throughout the collection.

Original post:

The Davin-Levin Duos relaxing debut album, Banter, couldnt have come at a better time - The Dallas Morning News

RESTRICTIONS are relaxing across the US and stay at home orders lifting, despite the nation still being firmly in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic.

Following the announcement of President Trump's three phase guidelines, some states have already begun to open beaches, shops and parks.

6

Nationwide protests have also put pressure on governors to kickstart their economies and allow businesses to reopen.

The coronavirus death toll in the US continues to rise; as of Wednesday it stands at 45,150.

Georgia's stay at home order lifts on April 30, and many venues and businesses will reopen on Friday.

Gov Brian Kemp admitted cases will likely increase as bowling alleys, gyms, nail salons, massage therapists and movie theaters reopen, The Hill reported.

6

Gov. Bill Lee announced his stay at home order would not extend past April 30, meaning 89 of Tennessee's 95 counties can begin to get back to normal.

"For the good of our state, social distancing must continue, but our economic shutdown cannot," he said.

A governor-appointed, 30-member economic recovery group is working with industry leaders to ensure that some businesses can reopen as early as April 27,the Tennessean reported.

However this doesn't necessarily apply to some of the state's largest cities, such as Nashville and Memphis, where local authorities have the power to determine when restrictions will be eased.

State parks reopened last week, but Lee has not yet determined which businesses will.

6

Florida is coordinating with five other southern states to reopen their economies, even as cases continue to rise in the state.

Many of Florida's beaches have reopened, with walking, biking, hiking, fishing, running, swimming, taking care of pets and surfing allowed. Sunbathing, towels, blankets, chairs, coolers and grills are not.

6

Colorado's stay at home order is due to end next week. It's the only blue state in the US that is easing restrictions.

Democratic Gov. Jared Polis will not be renewing the order, and is to allow a gradual reopening of nonessential businesses.

He will also permit surgical procedures, but says those who can work at home should continue to do so.

Details on which businesses can reopen will be released this week.

Stores selling furniture, books, music, flowers, clothing and accessories, as well as department stores, sporting goods stores and flea markets can open at 20% capacity, according to CNN.

Beaches opened on Tuesday, and Gov Henry McMaster's state of emergency executive order expires on April 27.

Local officials have the last word on whether beaches will reopen, and a handful have already said they wold not, including Isle of Palms, Edisto Beach, Folly Beach and Sullivans Island.

6

Hikers were out on Monday as the state's parks reopened.

Retail stores can sell items curbside from April 24, and doctors can start elective surgeries.

Texas was one of the first states to reopen, with Abbott saying the state was "battling a colossal challenge," in a recent briefing.

"An invisible enemy that is testing our lives and livelihoods. Part of the Texas brand however is our ability to overcome challenges.

"We can get folks back to work. We can adopt safe strategies that prevent the spread of Covid-19

"And step by step we will reopen Texas."

6

Gov Jim Justice will allow hospitals to resume elective surgeries if they meet a set of criteria - which he has yet to specify.

However other openings are still on hold, as Justice is proceeding cautiously.

A number of other states are expected to follow suit but have not yet made definitive announcements.

Last week,a projection model developed by scientistsat the University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation said that Hawaii, Montana, Vermont and West Virginia could open by May 4, if they restrict large gatherings, test widely and quarantine the contacts of people who test positive.

But Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Utah are among states that would need to wait until late June or early July.

Breaking

The government's coronavirus advisor Dr Anthony Fauciwarned reopening stateswill tank economic recovery, saying: "The message [from the protests] is that clearly this is something that is hurting from the standpoint of economics, from the standpoint of things that have nothing to do with the virus.

"But unless we get the virus under control, the real recovery economically is not going to happen," Fauci said."

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Which states are re-opening and relaxing coronavirus social distancing rules? - The Sun

Willie Jonesinvites you into his at-home oasis in "Back Porch," his latest single. Press play above to listen to the new country-meets-R&Btrack.

"Sunshine's a little brighter / Moon hangs a little bit higher / Iced tea's a little bit a sweet / That grass' a little bit greener," Jones sings in the chorus of "Back Porch," extolling the benefits of a little bit of outdoor relaxation time. "That beer's a little bit colder / A little warmer when you hold her / Slide out that screen door / It's better on the back porch."

"Back Porch" is upbeat and carefree, but it comes from a tough spot: "At the time we wrote the song, I wasn't in the best place mentally, spiritually or even physically," Jones admits in a press release.

"Being in nature helps me, though, and my buddy's back porch and backyard were amazing, Jones explains of how he coped and became inspired. It just felt so great to be back down South in the open air. I spent hours out there just relaxing. I showed up to the studio the next day, and "Back Porch" was born."

A Shreveport, La., native, now based in Los Angeles, Jonesblends country music topics and cadences with the confessional, first-person styling of underground hip-hop. He was focused on gospel music and musical theater as a kid and, in 2012, competed onThe X Factor.

Who Is Willie Jones? 5 Things You Need to Know

Continued here:

Willie Jones' 'Back Porch' Invites You to Kick Back and Relax - The Boot