Pedagogical significance of music computer technologies in the musical education of university students in China

Abstract

The article examines the pedagogical significance of music computer technologies (MCT) in the system of higher music education in China in the context of the digital transformation of society and the need to reconcile innovation with the sustainable traditions of national musical culture. It argues that the implementation of MCT is not limited to equipping classrooms and mastering software interfaces but affects the structure of musical knowledge and the formation of a new type of musical thinking oriented toward working with sound images in a virtual environment. The study analyzes contradictions between the availability of modern equipment and the insufficiency of a methodological framework for its application, manifested in «technological formalism» and describes the dual attitude of the teaching community toward digital tools as both a developmental resource and a potential threat to «live» art. The theoretical framework combines system-structural, comparative-pedagogical, and axiological approaches, supplemented by an analysis of regulatory documents, interpretation of pedagogical concepts, and modeling of scenarios for integrating technologies into curricula. It is shown that the pedagogical effect of MCT is associated with the visualization and objectification of sound parameters, the expansion of project-based and creative practices (virtual studios, algorithmic composition), and a shift in the teacher’s role toward moderation and navigation in the digital environment. Special attention is given to the potential of digital tools for documenting and actualizing traditional instruments and intonational norms, alongside the risks of losing timbral authenticity and replacing artistic intuition with formalized operations. The article discusses problems of fragmentation in music informatics courses, unequal technological access between regions, prospects of cloud resources and network interaction, as well as challenges related to the use of artificial intelligence in composition and assessment, including issues of authorship and criteria of artistic value. The necessity of forming a musician’s digital culture and maintaining a techno-humanitarian balance is substantiated as a condition for preserving artistic depth while expanding the professional competencies of graduates.