Challenges of Distance Learning in the Context of Music Studies: the Case of Lithuania

The paper presents some of the data from an empirical study conducted at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants of the study - first and second cycle students of different specialisations (N=135) from the Music faculty of LAMT - revealed their experiences during the global distance learning that replaced contact studies. The chosen object of the study - the challenges of distance learning in terms of students' experience - allowed to explore and summarise the advantages and disadvantages of distance music studies, as well as to assess the students' emotional well-being during COVID – 19 pandemic. The questionnaire survey showed that the absolute majority of the participants experienced a clear predominance of anxiety and stressful situations during distance learning, and that their motivation to learn dropped significantly during the pandemic. The respondents' answers to open-ended questions, analysed by qualitative content analysis, revealed that studying only at a distance distorts the fundamental idea of music studies - to create and learn from a natural and authentic environment. However, according to the participants, distance learning can also have positive aspects if it is used only in group and non-musicianship/non-musical activities, or if it is combined with contact learning.