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The Candyman Summer Rock Camp Instructors

Ross Hamlin

Ross, a former professor at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design, teaches private lessons in guitar (rock, jazz, funk, classical, folk), electric bass, ukulele, voice, composition and applicable music theory in any requested combination. He has also developed instruction in composing, programing and mixing laptop-based music, including dubstep, techno and house.  He’s an active guitarist in rock, jazz, funk, experimental, and unclassifiable performance groups in Santa Fe and southwestern US. and composes original music for film, theater, dance and commercial projects. He also mixes beats, loops and electronica under the stage name clawdeuS.  While he favors the guitar (as well as jazz and funk), he also play bass, trumpet, piano, ukulele and percussion (in many other genres).

 

Ross has studied with many teachers in several traditions. He spent five years as a resident artist at Mobius, a 20-year-old Boston mainstay for experimental art of all disciplines.  He has produced works by over 300 Boston artists as Director of the Boston non-profit arts collective Open Faucet Productions, while performing frequently all over the New England and Minneapolis areas.

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Ross’ teaching style emphasizes full-brain creativity. His teaching style is patient, detailed, spontaneous, innovative and most importantly, fun! He implements an array of teaching techniques, methods and modalities, understands that each student is different and uses an intuitively guided approach to each student. Ross understands that all students share a need for a supportive, safe, fun and challenging environment where they can stretch and grow.

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B.A. Boston Berklee, College of Music

Justin Pucila

Justin is a multi-instrumentalist who has been playing and studying music since the age of 14.  His main focus was the guitar for the first few years until he quickly realized that he wanted to play any instrument he could get his hands on, and now plays and teaches guitar, drums, bass, keys, vocals and banjo.  It became clear around age 20 that Justin would be devoting himself to the world of music education and has been teaching steadily for 11 years.  He loves all styles of music and is pleased to work with all skill levels.

Morse Bicknell

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Morse has played piano, guitar and bass since childhood. He started giving lessons in his twenties, and loves teaching students of all ages, in all sorts of styles of music. 

 

Morse likes to center his teaching around each student’s interests and goals — whether that means getting a great foundation on a new instrument, learning cool riffs and songs, understanding helpful music theory, improvising, reading music, playing in bands… whatever is most interesting and motivating for each individual student! He always strives to create a fun, relaxed and encouraging environment in which students can explore and grow at their own pace.

 

Past work experience includes many years of playing guitar and bass in club bands, in styles ranging from rock and blues, to country, folk and Americana. He’s also done many solo gigs playing steel-string and classical guitar at casinos and business events and the like, and played electric guitar in his college jazz band. On the piano, Morse has played in various stage bands, accompanied instrumentalists and singers, and is currently working as a piano accompanist for the National Dance Institute.

 

When he’s not playing or teaching music, Morse enjoys traveling, watching movies, and hanging out with his dogs, Monty and Edgar Allan Pug.

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Chris Riggins

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Chris serves as a musical instrument repair technician while managing The Candyman's Service and Repair Department. He also teaches private guitar lessons in addition to band instruction at The Candyman's seasonal Rock School and Summer Rock Camp programs.

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Chris is a multi-instrumentalist who predominantly focuses on guitar and trumpet, although he has been known to dabble on bass, piano, wood winds, and various brass instruments. He has experience performing various musical styles including metal, ska, nuevo flamenco, pop rock, jazz, blues, as well as classical guitar.

Chris graduated from Eastern New Mexico University with a Bachelors of Science in Music with a minor in Music Technology. In 2009, he auditioned for Kappa Kappa Psi's National Intercollegiate Band on trumpet and was one of 10 trumpet players selected to perform with that years symphonic band. Throughout his musical career, he has been focusing on playing live with hundreds of gigs under his belt covering 8 different states, writing and recording original music, and teaching everything from guitar and trumpet to music theory and composition.

You can find his latest releases here.

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B.S. Music | Minor in Music Technology

Andrew Primm

Andy started young, learning the intro to “Jamie’s Cryin’” on a toy drumset from JC Penney at age 7. By age 14 he played his first gig, pit percussion for the musical “The Music Man.” Andy has always had a flair and passion for rock and roll, theatrics, and the importance of a solid musical education, having attended Berklee School of Music in Boston and graduated with a MFA in Contemporary Music from the College of Santa Fe.

 

A multi-instrumentalist, Andy has played locally and toured internationally for 25 years, entertaining club, concert, and corporate audiences worldwide. Credits include Penn and Teller’s Sin City Spectacular, the Grammy Showcase Awards in L.A., as a featured musician in “$5 A Day” starring Christopher Walken, “Truth Be Told”, a FOX TV movie, and “Best Drummer” at The Candyman’s Drum Battle contest. He has released his own CD, “Mercenary”, and has appeared on and produced a plethora of CDs, commercials, videos, and plays, and in addition to his profession as a music educator works as a writer, director, producer, videographer and radio personality.

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Boston Berklee College of Music, B.F.A Contemporary 

Music College of Santa Fe

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