Q: a "friend" of mine and I had a heated discussion because he thinks only what is previously imagined and rehearsed can be called "music", ruling out improvised music as being "weaker", "inadequate to express feelings and touch people", and "not really music" (his words). he thinks saying that two composers, one that studied a lot of music theory and one that doesn't have the same amount of theoretical/technical (related to mastering an instrument) knowledge, have the same right to call themselves composers and not be seen as being on different "levels" is devaluing and harmful to music and the development of musicianship. I, on the other hand, think art is not simply about knowledge and technique as it very much is about expression as well, and each artist is free to decide which tools they are going to use to express themselves and how. there's no need for "levels", "better and worse": there's no need to rank artists according to their ability, what'
 s the po
 int in having a "caste system" in art? who benefits from that? if he thinks knowing all that he can know about music theory is what works for him, that's great!, for him. but it doesn't mean everyone should follow the same path, otherwise they aren't "actual musicians". what gets me the most is he teaches childre music, and it hurts me to think how he might be one of those teachers I so deeply disliked when I was a kid: people who think they hold the Entire and Absolute Artistic Truth in their hands because they're adults and teachers and they studied some, and therefore they have the right and duty to trim kids' (and people in general's) thoughts. I know you are a person and your opinion is also subjective. I also know, from following you and your work, that you don't appear to be close-minded at all. maybe that's why I'm here: reassurance. I firmly believe in what I said about art: I think about it a lot and I change my mind, I try to be as open as I can to new ideas
 , but th
 ere's also a core value of art not needing to be constrained, and the importance of artistic freedom, that I keep throughout my life. but am I the unreasonable one in this situation? we are often blind to our own flaws, most of all when they touch us deeply. is that the case here?  sorry for the wall of text.
A: it wouldn't really be fair for me to weigh in without hearing his case directly, in his own words