Dawson Lau is a seasoned guitarist, bassist, and passionate educator based in California. His musical journey began with several years of classical piano study, where he developed a strong foundation in music before discovering stringed instruments. After first picking up the ukulele, Dawson quickly developed a passion for guitar, and what began as an introduction to the instrument soon became a lifelong pursuit of music.

As he continued developing as a guitarist, Dawson sought out every opportunity to study, perform, and collaborate, ultimately pursuing formal studies at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Global Jazz Studies. During his time at UCLA, he performed in a wide variety of ensembles, including the Jazz Orchestra, Charles Mingus Ensemble, Contemporary Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Combos, and African American Music Ensemble. He studied under leading Los Angeles musicians and educators including Jacques Lesure, Tamir Hendelman, Clayton Cameron, and Hitomi Oba.

• You may be inspired to hear Dawson perform on this page.

In addition to his academic training, Dawson has built a diverse career as a session and performing musician, working with artists throughout Los Angeles and the Bay Area across genres including jazz, pop, indie, rock, gospel, and more. His experience as a guitarist and bassist has given him a broad musical perspective and the ability to adapt to a wide range of musical settings.

Dawson is equally passionate about music education. He has worked with students ranging from young beginners to middle and high school musicians, teaching private lessons, group classes, jazz ensembles, and marching band. Outside of music, Dawson enjoys: Rock climbing, Reading and Graphic design