Entrepreneurial Projects, Organizational Leadership, and Curriculum Development
Aspire Music
Dawson founded Aspire Music to instigate powerful change in musicians, with a mission to provide powerful resources and community to those looking to achieve college and career aspirations. Aspire Music offers lessons, career coaching, and online courses, taught through a holistic approach and entrepreneurial mindset.
HGO EDI Committee
Dawson serves as the union representative for the Houston Grand Opera orchestra on the HGO Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Committee. Important tasks include seeking company and audience identity, representing orchestra needs, drafting core values, and the formation of a diversity statement for one of the most influential opera companies in the United States. Committee work is ongoing.
Diversity Statement: As an industry leading innovator, Houston Grand Opera’s vision is to produce great operatic works while fostering a company culture of integrity, empathy, and inclusion. HGO’s “safe haven” workplace is grounded in trust, respect, transparent communication, and social justice. We celebrate the diversity, perspectives, and experiences of our colleagues and audiences, and strive against systems of oppression through accountability. WE are HGO. YOU are HGO.
The Entrepreneurial Musician
Dawson developed the first course dedicated to the development of entrepreneurial skills for graduate and advanced musicians at the University of St. Thomas.
Houston Viola Society
Dawson is a board member of the Houston Viola Society and served as it’s inaugural Co-president, past Vice-President, and led two of the organizations successful Viola Days with 150+ violists in attendance.
Axiom Quartet
Dawson was a founding member of the Axiom Quartet and served as their violist from 2012 to 2014. Administrative initiatives included recruitment of a board and obtaining 501(c)3 non-profit status in addition to expanding the reach of the group regionally.
New Art/New Music
As a graduate student at Rice University, Dawson was Coordinator of the New Art/New Music concert series at the Rice Gallery. He received the Sviatoslov Richter Grant for Music Outreach which enabled commissioned compositions based on site-specific artwork in the Gallery. The funds enabled the development of a marketing plan that led to a four hundred percent increase in attendance and trademarking of the concert series.
