Some scholars propose that creativity is fundamentally an "interaction among aptitude, process, and environment" that produces something both "novel and useful as defined within a social context" (Plucker, Beghetto, & Dow, 2004, p. 90). It is the process of navigating uncertainty, of generating new possibilities when faced with what philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce called a state of "genuine doubt" (Peirce, 1958).Within the realm of education, fostering creativity is often hailed as a primary objective. Educational experiences should provide young people with opportunities "to generate and realize new and potentially transformative possibilities for their own and others’ learning and lives" (Beghetto & Zhao, 2022, p. vii). The desire for efficiency and predictable outcomes often leads to the over-planning of learning experiences, inadvertently stifling the very exploration that creativity requires (Beghetto, 2021).This tension is particularly acute in the world of instrumental music education. The traditional large ensemble—the concert band, the orchestra—has historically operated within a hierarchical structure focused on the faithful reproduction of a canonical repertoire (Allsup & Benedict, 2008). The emphasis is on polish, precision, and performance, a model that has proven effective in producing high-quality concerts but can leave little room for students to generate musical ideas of their own. This stands in contrast to the National Core Arts Standards, which explicitly call for students to engage in creating, composing, and arranging music (National Association for Music Education [NAfME], 2014).Through a survey of practicing instrumental music educators, this research examines how teachers define creativity, the frequency and types of creative tasks they employ, the benefits they observe in students, and the challenges that hinder more widespread integration. The findings reveal a significant "value-action gap": educators overwhelmingly believe in the positive value of creativity but face substantial barriers, most notably a lack of time for planning and preparation, the pressure of performance-oriented curricula, and insufficient pre-service and in-service training. The data suggests a self-perpetuating cycle wherein a lack of training leads to low confidence, which, compounded by systemic pressures, limits students' creative opportunities. The study concludes that bridging this gap requires a multi-faceted approach, including targeted professional development, the provision of practical pedagogical resources, and a fundamental shift in music teacher education programs to better equip educators with the skills and confidence to foster creativity as an integral component of musicianship.