The Sonata for Clarinet and Piano was commissioned by the former principal clarinetist of the Vancouver Symphony, Ronald deKant, through the financial aid of the Canada Council. He premièred it July 23rd 1981 during the Banff Festival of Music.

The Sonata is in two movements which are joined together without interruption. The first movement is in ternary form starting with a slow expressive adagio; the middle section is an allegro of rhythmical nature. After a short dynamic climax, the agitated character subsides and we hear a varied return of the opening section. This leads into the second movement which is a lively allegro of great rhythmic vitality with many changes of time signature. It ends with a short very fast coda.