Warning: "Higher Level Music" bashing

Alright, it's time to come clean to my family, friends, and music community at large.

I hate it when I hear someone say they don't want to work with a certain age group (or, conversely, only want to work with a certain age group) because they want to make "higher level music."

I have always been disturbed by this trend.  It started in undergrad; that was the first time I heard someone say, "I don't want to work with middle school kids because I want to make higher level music."  It was said by someone who had only ever worked with high school students in practicum.  I have heard this from undergrads that I have worked with (many of whom had never had ANY practicum experience); example: "I don't want to work with middle school students, because I just want to teach high school."  My response: Oh?  Really?  Why just high school?  The reply:  "You can't really make higher levels of music with middle school students.  But you can make music with high school students."  I have heard from various people that a person cannot make real music with elementary students or church choirs or high school students.  Lies- those are said by people who let their own limitations get in the way of teaching their ensemble good musicianship.

Makes. Me. Angry.

There is nothing wrong with not wanting to teach middle school, elementary, high school, college age, church groups, or professional groups, but it should be a choice separate from someone's perceived stigma of their "lower" or "higher" level of music.  Because a good teacher-conductor can make good music at all levels.  And really, what's the use of making ANY music if it is not good?  That's a disservice to the ensemble, you, the listeners, and music itself.

I think the larger question is: What is "higher level music?"  I have never heard a good piece of music (no matter how simple or difficult) and thought, "Well, I just don't want to do this one ever.  It's a lower level of music."

Sometimes I wonder if people are afraid to be good at teaching younger ages because maybe they'll like it.  A new colleague told me that after her degree is finished, she wants to continue teaching high school.  She loves teaching high school.  She's passionate about teaching high school.  Another person in the field said to her, "Why would you want to teach high school?  Don't you want to work with people who can make higher levels of music?"

Without high school, middle school, elementary teachers, without church choir directors who have children's choirs and without community youth choirs, I wouldn't have a job (and neither would the person posing these questions to my colleague).  Beyond that, the world would have less enjoyers of music.

The point is: Good music should be the goal.  I hate excuses (which is what "higher level music" sounds like to me).  Just make good music.