Distance learning and contemporary music education in China

Distance learning continues to gain popularity among musical specialties due to the necessity and advantages of this training format. This study aimed to study students’ experience of distance learning in Choral Performance. To this end, questioning, testing, and quasi-experiment methods were applied. The research involved 88 students from the Taizhou University. It was revealed that students studying choral art generally positively perceived the introduction of distance learning (90% of respondents were satisfied with the learning experience). Most participants noted that the advantage of this education format is the saving of time they would have spent on the road to the educational institution. A significant statistical difference (t = 6.133) was observed between the indicators of the average progress of university students in the period of face-to-face education (M = 84.97 ± 5.73) and during distance learning (M = 69.51 ± 5.41). The present findings are helpful for administrations of educational institutions to establish distance learning processes in musical disciplines and not only. In future research, exploring as many factors as possible that can affect teaching and learning in a distance format is essential. Moreover, the effectiveness of various technologies gradually introduced in distance music education, namely a virtual choir and multiple applications, platforms, and music systems, can be subject to the study.