American Barndance was commissioned and premiered for the Twentieth Annual Festival of Bands in Loogootee, Indiana on November 4, 2008, with the composer conducting. The festival was created as a fun, non-competitive event for several small area bands to experience a large band setting and to have exposure to various professional conductors. The following southern Indiana high school bands and their directors participated in the festival: Barr-Reeve (Stephanie O’Brian), Loogootee (Betsy Graves), Mitchell (Hank Wintczak), North Daviess (DeAnne Mayfield), North Knox (Debbie Vandermel), Shoals (Joel Weitkamp), and South Knox (H. Joyce Kim-Rohrer.)

These band directors believe in the importance of contributing to new band music at the middle/high school level, as well as providing the students the opportunity to work under the baton of the composer. This is the third work commissioned by the organization. Throughout the years, the Festival of Bands has proven to be a highlight in each student’s music education and has been a source of musical inspiration to all.

Program note provided by the composer

Richard L. Saucedo is currently Director of Bands and Performing Arts Development Chairman at Carmel High School in Carmel, Indiana. Under his direction, Carmel bands have received numerous state and national honors in the areas of concert, jazz, and marching. Mr. Saucedo did his undergraduate work at Indiana University in Bloomington and finished his master’s degree at Butler University in Indianapolis. He is constantly in demand as an adjudicator, clinician and guest conductor to concert band, jazz band, marching band, orchestra, and show choir.

Composer biography researched and written by Elisabeth Jackson