BIOGRAPHY

Except from her story

Alex, or Alexandra Naumik Sandoy was born to Polish parents in Vilnius, Lithuania. Her first six years were spent in Siberia where her family had been deported by Stalin's Communist regime. After being freed the family returned to Poland and Alex started to settle into her new surroundings. There, she started taking part in singing competitions which in turn led her to compete in the National Competition which she promptly won. The win gained her a meeting with Wladyslaw Szpilman (“The Pianist” and the previous Head of Music at Polish Radio) and her first studio recordings which were released on the album ”Listy Spiewajace” (Singing Letters) Lyrics by Agnieszka Osiecka and music by Adam Slawinski.

Early days

Education.

 While still at school Alex continued to work with and record new material for Polish Radio in Warsaw. After graduating from Upper Secondary School in June 1967, Alex was invited to perform at the famous Opole Music Festival. Her debut was live on television with a full symphonic orchestra and the cream of Polish artists. An album of the concert was consequently released called “Song festival Pole- 1967” With the intention of training as an Art teacher Alex started her studies at the Pedagogy Institute of Lodz. Here she soon met her future husband, the film director Haakon Sandøy who was studying at the Film Academy in the same town. While studying Alex continued perform and recorded with the band “Cykady” both live and on television. She also sang with the satirical student theatre group “Pstrang” while still entering and winning contests as “Best Vocalist” as a representative for her student district. During the this time the renowned Juliusz Loranc was putting together his super-group “Quorum” and invited Alex to join and to record for a new television series. Her plans fell through however, as the impending birth of her daughter Naomi meant she had to leave Poland with her new husband for his hometown of Stavanger, Norway.

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