In a world obsessed with celebrities, in an industry obsessed with fame, from the very beginning of her career, Alice has shied away from the spotlight.

Affectionately known by her nickname ‘Shy’, Alice is a quiet, thoughtful composer and writer. She prefers to work with a small team of trusted creative partners and often disappears to remote locations to write and create music.

With no social media presence and very rarely giving press interviews (under duress!) - Alice has mostly released her music production projects under pseudonym. She believes that the spotlight should shine on the superb singers and actors who she works closely with and who bring her songs and characters to life.

“For me the most magical moment is when a new song develops a ‘heartbeat’. There is always a moment, when a singer is learning or rehearsing a song, when suddenly it comes to life, suddenly it becomes an energy that can flow out and touch others. It’s a thrilling moment that everyone in the room can feel!”

Born in Cape Town South Africa, Alice Gillham is a classically trained pianist and flautist and an award-winning academic scholar with a Bachelor of Music Degree and a Masters Degree in Ethnomusicology (cum laude), from the University of Cape Town. While at university she won various academic awards including the Kirby Award for the most distinguished postgraduate thesis of her graduating year.

Her enduring love affair with music started at a very young age when at four years old she learnt to read music before learning to read words. Today she is a highly creative composer, producer and writer, whose interests encompass a broad spectrum of genres ranging from classical music, opera, pop, musical theatre, folk and rock.

Passionate about the environment, she likes to explore and integrate the sounds, moods and landscapes found in nature into her compositions.

“In the musical Calling Us Home, Africa, with its immense skies and diverse landscapes that stretch into distant horizons, was one of my most significant sources of inspiration.”

She also has a deep interest in exploring the phenomenal power of music to illustrate and illuminate the stories told in different cultures and communities around the world. While still at University she presented her own show on Fine Music Radio a South African classical music radio station.

“Wherever and whenever we feel or experience great or challenging moments in our lives, that is when we need music.”

Despite being extremely reticent of the limelight, Alice is a fierce instigator and driver of breakthrough initiatives. She has worked with musicians, artists, producers and composers in South Africa, Australia, Germany, New York and London.

In 2014, after a decade in general commercial production, Alice decided to focus primarily on Composition (Musical Theatre, Movie Scoring, and larger Production Works) and since then has drawn substantial international investment into the South African theatre sector for original grand-scale projects.