Don't let eegits like that ruin your day, flute.

When I was 10 I was ostracised from a height by our local Comhaltas head for daring to put an A in a chord run from Em to D.

"It's Eminor, D. Eminor, D. Eminor, D!", he was shouting to me in front or the rest of them.

I never relented, preferring to play the way the tunes lent themselves to me. And as a result, I wqs kicked out of the Comhaltas branch

Of course, 15 years later, Steve Cooney arrived on the scene, and everybody wondered at this 'new' style of accompaniment!!

By all means practice, and learn your tunes, but Clinton and Larry are right. Tell him to shove his fiddle, or whatever, up his posterior end, sideways.

Music is meant to be played, and played freely. And innovators are the heralds of the future.
You may already have one up on him.

I would be interested to hear, though, what his complaints actually were. One should never lecture a beginner on anything, as it serves only to alienate, and knock the self-confidence. Oranamentation, and the like comes after. Once you feel comfortable with the tune(s), then comes the 'soul'.

Either way don't let the guy ruin your day.

KEEP AT IT, and to hell with the little Adolfs.

B.