The Watchmaker

Matthew Kilby

General Info

Year of Published: 2026
Publisher: Tapspace Publications
Difficulty: Intermediate
Duration: 00:04:00
Cost: Score and Parts - $45.00   |   Score Only - $15.00

Instrumentation

Percussion Ensemble

Player 1: Glockenspiel
Player 2: Xylophone & Chimes
Player 3: Vibraphone 1
Player 4: Vibraphone 2
Player 5: Marimba 1
Player 6: Marimba 2
Player 7: Timpani
Player 8: Drum Set with China Cymbal
Player 9: 2 Wood Blocks & Mark Tree & Cowbell & Sizzle Cymbal
Player 10: Snare Drum
Player 11: Hand Cymbals & Triangle
Player 12: Concert Bass Drum

Steel Band

Part 1: Tenor / Lead
Part 2: Double Tenor
Part 3: Double Second
Part 4: Triple Guitar
Part 5: Bass

Program Notes

The Watchmaker by Matthew Kilby is a work for large percussion ensemble and steel band inspired by the precision, craftsmanship, and interconnected mechanics of a handmade watch. Beginning with delicate textures that evoke the careful calibration of gears and springs, the piece gradually develops into a mixed meter groove-driven musical portrait of a mechanism coming to life.

Scored for steel pans, keyboard percussion, timpani, drumset, and a wide variety of auxiliary percussion, the work offers performers a colorful palette of sounds that combine to create a constantly evolving musical landscape.

Although substantial in size, the piece is written with developing performers in mind and emphasizes the importance of each individual part within the larger ensemble. As the composer notes, the work reflects a central idea shared by both music and mechanics: every component, no matter how small, plays an essential role in making the whole function.

Recent Performances

To submit a performance please join the TEK Percussion Database

Works for Percussion by this Composer

Solo Percussion

Inklings - Marimba

Small Percussion Ensemble

Ceaseless Staircase - 5 Players
Photovoltaic - 5 Players

Large Percussion Ensemble

The Pocket-Sized Funk Machine - 11 Players; Bass Guitar
The Watchmaker - 12 Players; Steel Band