Typically, K-12 band directors spend a sizable portion of the school year programming, rehearsing, and performing pieces of music that are composed at a single-level of difficulty (or, grade). Although some instrument parts in repertoire are typically divided by range (e.g. clarinet 1/2/3, trumpet 1/2/3), pieces are composed and graded by the difficulty of the piece for the ensemble as a whole, despite the well-understood fact that every band classroom is composed of learners at different levels of skill. An extensive body of research into the role that relative difficulty plays in modulating learning experiences (Bjork & Bjork, 2020) suggests that the relationship between skill level and task difficulty can determine an individual’s rate of motor learning (Guadagnoli & Lee, 2004). Novice learning is maximized by engaging in tasks that are relatively simple and easy to accomplish, whereas experts learn most when engaging in relatively difficult tasks that require precisely coordinated perceptions, thoughts, and actions to perform successfully. Any group of learners engaging in practically any task within a domain will represent a variety of skill. It is not currently known the extent to which band directors in the United States modify graded band music to differentiate the level of technical and expressive challenge presented to the individual students in their ensembles. We aim to better understand the range of ability levels band teachers assess in their own ensembles as well as how and how often they modify graded band pieces to match the difficulty of individual parts to the specific students in their classroom. To do this, we created a survey asking band directors to indicate the type of ensemble they taught, what grade level they typically program for that ensemble, what percentage of the band successfully performed the piece, and the ways they modify the piece and their teaching to individualize instruction. The results of this survey point to an uncomfortable undercurrent in many band classrooms: repertoire composed within a single level of difficulty is performed in rooms full of diverse learners, maximizing the learning of some, not all, of the students. Continued work is needed to creatively address the reality that repertoire is a learning tool that can and should be designed to meet the individual challenges that bring about the most learning in all students.