Sonatina was commissioned in 1981 by the Virginia Music Teachers Association in conjunction with the 1981 Virginia Composer of the Year Award. First performance of this work was given by Robert Pollock on Nov. 7, 1981 at the Virginia Commonwealth University Music . Center, Richmond. VA.

In the same year the Music Teachers National Association awarded its Composer of the Year Award for 1981to Joel Eric Suben and featured a performance of Sonatina at its 1982 conference in Kansas City.