Another great way to self-fund your marching percussion endeavors is to teach a drumline. Not only does this give you extra income from the school or group your working with, it also opens up a population of students that could become future private lesson students. If you’re doing your job well while teaching, you’ll be able to demonstrate the value that you add and convince the students that they need more time under your tutelage. If teaching just one school doesn't generate enough income, you can find a school that has an opposite rehearsal schedule. Remember, you don't always need to be the caption head. You can find a school that needs additional help teaching a section or maybe even work as a visual instructor. Don’t let your ego get in the way of you achieving your end goal in this process: Securing funds to pay for your tour fees.
In addition to instructing the drumline you could also have the opportunity to write music for the school you’re teaching. This additional source of income could put a big dent in your tour fees. By writing the music you’ll be given a great learning opportunity. This could open the door to other writing and teaching opportunities in your area.
Pro Tip: If you’re paid as a “1099” employee don’t forget to set aside approximately 40% in taxes that you will owe the IRS for that tax year. Your taxes are not automatically taken out. If you’re paid as a W-2 employee, your taxes will be automatically withheld. This is just something to be aware of as a new teacher!