Alice teaches songwriting privately, in groups, and in schools. If you are interested in bringing Alice in for a workshop at your school or community center or starting your own songwriting circle, use the contact form at the bottom of the page.
Born and raised on a mountain by the sea in coastal Maine, Alice Limoges was singing before she could walk. As a young girl in Maine, she studied guitar and piano, released albums of her original music, and starred in several musicals as well as singing in many choirs. She decided to take her musicality to the next level by moving to New York, where she majored in Studio Composition (songwriting/production) at SUNY Purchase.
Alice worked in the New York City music scene for 7 years, toured the Northeast with her band, and recorded several albums while continuing to study with the best teachers New York had to offer even after graduating Magna Cum Laude from SUNY Purchase. Her mentors include Charles Blenzig (piano), Meredith Colby (voice), Joel Thome (composition), Jon Jetter (production/recording), and Bob Thompson (guitar). Alice interned with Grammy Award winning music therapist Jon Samson of Co-Creative Music and has had the privilege to work with several special needs students. After an arm injury, Alice studied the tension reducing Alexander Technique, which she integrates to teach students to play with a healthy technique to reduce the chance of developing instrument related injuries such as tendinitis and carpal tunnel. She has also worked with voice therapist Mary Klimek and integrates vocal health at the speech and singing levels with her students. In March of 2021, she became certified in Vocal First Aid by Vocal Health Education and received her Neurovocal Method certification in August 2021. She continues her education even to this day, studying the Estill voice method with SLP/voice teacher Mary Klimek, Alexander Technique with Judy Pagon, and production mentoring sessions with NYC producer Ilan Natter.
Alice had her first experiences teaching music as a teenager and went on to teach over a hundred students in New York before her COVID propelled return to Midcoast Maine in 2020. Using her diverse skills as a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and empath, she teaches the fundamentals while focusing on the student’s passions. She teaches many styles including pop, folk, jazz, and classical. Her passion is giving blossoming musicians the tools to write, sing, and play their own songs. Students who live in Midcoast Maine have the opportunity to record and produce their original music and be mentored in the music business. With her patient nature, music therapy background, and outspoken voice for mental health, Alice loves to create an honest and open environment where students feel safe to experience, share, and express their emotions through their voice, instrument, or songwriting. While she certainly doesn’t claim to be a therapist, it’s rare that a week goes by without a student or two comparing their lessons to therapy. A bonus to studying with a multi-instrumentalist like Alice is that a piano student might later choose to branch out into voice or guitar or even writing and producing their own songs. Alice is able to guide them every step of the way. Curriculums are individually tailored to each student’s needs and interests and may include popular songs, technique, music theory, improvisation, composition/songwriting, and the engaging Wunderkeys piano curriculum. Alice enjoys teaching complete beginners of all ages as well as experienced musicians.
During the winter of 2021, she ran her first songwriting circle with professional songwriters and decided to extend this opportunity to amateur songwriters too. In addition to working with her private students, Alice holds her group online Songwriting Circle Tuesdays at 10:30am EST. She has come into Camden-Rockport Middle School, Camden-Rockport Elementary School, Lincolnville Central School, and Ash Point Community schools where she taught 3-6 week songwriting workshops to kids from grades 4 to 8. With Alice's songwriting method, every single kid has success writing their own song as well as writing a group song as a class.
Alice has released four independent albums to date. Her song "No One Underneath" was a semi-finalist in the 2019 International Songwriting Competition. She played on the Grammy Award winning album "Ageless: Songs For The Child Archetype" by Jon Samson. She has performed at festivals (Common Ground Fair, Unity, ME; Make Music Harlem, NYC; Keene Music Festival, Keene, NH; The Campfire Festival, Cambridge, MA; Belfast Free Range Festival, Belfast, ME), colleges (Columbia University, Hamilton College, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Purchase), and other legendary venues such as The Cutting Room (NYC), Rockwood Music Hall (NYC), PIANOS (NYC), Arlene’s Grocery (NYC), Club Passim (Boston), and Blue (Portland) as well as countless intimate concerts with Sofar Sounds. She has taught songwriting workshops with ages 9-14 in Maine schools. Alice currently accepts students of all ages at her home in Camden, Maine and also teaches songwriting classes online.
Testimonials:
"Alice brought her love of song writing to our students- inspiring them and helping them find their voice through song. She made song writing accessible to students of all abilities." - Allysa Anderson, Camden-Rockport Middle School 5-8
"After our basic ukulele unit, my fifth graders were ready to extend their learning. Alice's songwriting workshop was just the ticket to help them take their music making to the next level. She is professional, relaxed and creative as she moves the students through the building blocks of creating a song. I would highly recommend her program!"- Susan Iltis, Lincolnville Central School
"Alice is an amazing songwriting teacher. She deeply understands how to deconstruct the songwriting process in a way that any age songwriter can understand. She and my daughter have created beautiful age-appropriate songs together and, now, my daughter loves to write her own." -Cathy T., Greenwich, CT
"I was skeptical about the mystery of songwriting but I have been surprised that it is possible for me. We have tackled understanding song structure, lyric writing, and developing my own voice. Song writing feels interesting and enjoyable. Alice offers different exercises that help with learning and provides a supportive and warm space in which to work." - Beth O., Yonkers, NY
"I wanted to take a moment to "sing praises" for Alice Limoges. In Alice's early days, I was her music teacher in Rockport, Maine. Without doubt, her processing and interest in sound was "over the top."
Recently, thanks to Covid, Alice stepped back into my world - this time as a clinician for a composers' workshop that was held through Zoom at Ash Point Community School, Owls Head, ME.
The objective given to Alice was to engage all 26 students of the 4th grade with 6 weekly lessons on songwriting. Students worked in both small groups and individually, using their prior knowledge of basic chords on the ukulele.
What was most striking in this project?
...That every single student found a measure of success in the writing of a simple song with ukulele accompaniment that could be record and shared with family.
Alice's approach is probing, engaging, empathetic and most of all, kind. Even though some students were only able to approach school from sidelines, they were willing to try this concept with safety and security.
I will be asking Alice to join us again at some point this year for another project. I would be happy to share components of our lesson designs." - Scott Dyer, Director of Music, Ash Point Community School, Owls Head, ME