Rhonda Sandberg
Rhonda Lee Sandberg (aka Rhonda Polay)
RHONDA is a graduate of CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH, with a BACHELOR OF ARTS degree in CHORAL-VOCAL MUSIC, minoring in Drama, Dance, and Public Speaking. She did her graduate studies in Education.
RHONDA is a PUBLISHED COMPOSER with over 100 pieces presently in the catalogues of Hal Leonard, Concordia, Colla Voce, Aberdeen, Rhondalay Press, and Warner Brothers Music publishing companies, to name a few.
She was an adjunct PROFESSOR OF MUSIC at both CAL-STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN MARCOS, and PALOMAR COLLEGE for six years teaching choir, composition, music theory, and individual studies in voice, piano, theory, songwriting, and composition. Rhonda was given the DISTINGUISHED FACULTY AWARD for the Choral Music Department in 1993 and was also awarded the PRESIDEN'TS COMMENDATION for Outstanding Musical Contribution to Administration and Student Services. She created the Choral Music, Theory, and Individual Studies program at Cal-State University, San Marcos, and initiated the “Music at Noon” choral concert series at both Palomar College and Cal-State University, San Marcos. She was the MUSIC DIRECTOR and pianist for the San Marcos Community Theatre production of the musical “PADDINGTON BEAR”.
RHONDA served for two years as FINE ARTS COMMISSIONER for the city of Los Alamitos, California, and received numerous awards for her service in that office and also for the local cable TV station. She produced 3 television shows in 3 different formats: religious, educational, and talk/entertainment (a show in which she also performed solos and served as host. She wrote the theme song as well.) An award from LATV was presented to her by the Mayor of Los Alamitos for her artistic contribution to the community in local programming.
RHONDA was a regular member of the LONG BEACH SYMPHONY and LAKEWOOD PHILHARMONIA as a flautist, vocal soloist, and pianist/harpsichordist, and she performed a full season as keyboardist and featured soloist for the CYPRESS POPS ORCHESTRA. She was also chorister/soloist in the ORANGE COUNTY MASTER CHORALE and vocal soloist, pianist, flautist, and harpsichordist for CAMERATA DEI MUSICI of Long Beach for eight years.
RHONDA is a vocal, piano, drama, modeling, dance, and audition and performance techniques COACH as well as an ADJUDICATOR and CLINICIAN for many choral and show choir festivals. She is also a PROFESSIONAL PERFORMER with numerous stage, TV, and film credits including a 3-year run as a singer/dancer on the "JOHN DAVIDSON SHOW" performing with such well-known artists as Tony Bennett, Bob Newhart, John Denver, Kenny Rogers, Richard and Karen Carpenter, and Doc Severinson. She made many guest appearances as an actress on the soap opera "THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS" and as a singer and actress on "DAYS OF OUR LIVES". She still receives residuals for her appearance in the 1983 film classic "SCARFACE" with Al Pacino. She was a featured singer and dancer in several television specials including: "PEOPLE OF THE YEAR" with Bob Newhart, "MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC" with Karen and Richard Carpenter and Ella Fitzgerald, The ACADEMY AWARDS, and "PERFORMANCE" with Bill Bixby as well as a country music special featuring Hal Linden and a summer series starring Billy Crystal. Rhonda was also the featured soloist with Bert Convy whenever he appeared on Johnny Carson's "TONIGHT SHOW". She is a current member of SAG-AFTRA, ASCAP, and the RECORDING ACADEMY.
RHONDA has been the VOCAL CONTRACTOR and SINGER on many RECORDING SESSIONS including albums for Ray Conniff, Richard and Karen Carpenter, Day of Discovery Singers, and Hour of Power. She also regularly sang, choreographed, and danced for the SOUTH AMERICAN AND MEXICAN TOURS with Ray Conniff and served as CONTRACTOR/SINGER for his tour of BRAZIL. She was a featured SINGER, DANCER, AND CHOREOGRAPHER for the US and MEXICO tours with Vikki Carr and with John Davidson for his many stage show appearances in New York City, Detroit, Reno, and Las Vegas.
RHONDA served as ORGANIST for 12 years at the First United Methodist Church in Lakewood, California, where she presented four ORGAN RECITALS as well as writing and producing three CHRISTMAS CANTATAS for choir, narrator, and organ. Rhonda was the ALTO SOLOIST for the "HOUR OF POWER CHOIR" at the CRYSTAL CATHEDRAL, often additionally serving as organist/pianist/soloist for their Cathedral in the Sky services each Sunday. She was vocal soloist and section leader at St. Pancratius as well as music director/pianist/organist/soloist at First Southern Baptist Church of Vista, CA, First Southern Baptist Church of Los Alamitos, CA, New Directions Christian Fellowship in Long Beach, CA, organist at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Los Alamitos, CA, and most recently, music director/pianist/organist at El Dorado Park Community Church in Long Beach, CA.
RHONDA is presently the Music Director for the Leisure World Chorale and the Good News Singers, performing 8, packed-house concerts every year. She also teaches a Performer’s Workshop and is the pianist for the First Christian Church in Seal Beach, CA.
RHONDA is the OWNER and PUBLISHER of RHONDAYLAY Press. Her catalogue contains over 100 PIECES including works by composers from AUSTRALIA and the US and is known for its diversity in style and various performance levels. The company features music for the CHURCH CHOIR in addition to SCHOOL AND COLLEGE CHOIRS and includes pieces for organ, piano, and flute. One of her SATB choral pieces "NORWAY, O NORWAY" was presented to and performed for the CROWN PRINCE OF NORWAY.
RHONDA has recently created a record company called RHONDALAY Music, a division of RHONDALAY Press, which is designed to produce unique and sophisticated record/CD albums of all styles. There are 3 jazz-oriented holiday albums, one of which features a well-known jazz singer from Australia, one showcases a fine female studio singer from Los Angeles, and one was performed and arranged by the well-known jazz tenor sax player/composer/arranger Tom Kubis. She also produced 5 other albums of various styles and genres, and there are two classical albums soon to be released.