This piece was inspired by the composer watching his young son playing soldiers with his collection of teddy bears. . .and made him think of the many character pieces that take the form of a toy march, the most notable examples being by Haydn, Tchaikovsky and Leon Jessel. Parade of the Clockwork Soldiers is in the form of a patrol (starting and ending quietly with a louder middle) and aims to represent a band marching past the listener. In fact, where the hall layout permits, it could be possible to add a little choreography to the piece, starting and ending with only a few instruments on stage.