Will Dawes received his initial musical training as a chorister at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Following a music scholarship to Wellington College, he became a Choral Scholar at St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh. Whilst at University of Edinburgh, he was a member of all the major musical orchestras and choirs and was Leader and Assistant Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra. On graduating, he was awarded the Keasbey Prize for outstanding service to the musical life of the University and City of Edinburgh.

Will is recent graduate of the Royal Academy of Music where he studied Choral Direction and Voice at the under the guidance of Patrick Russill and David Lowe. There, he took part in masterclasses with the BBC Singers, David Hill, Timo Nuorane and Stephen Layton and was awarded the Thomas Armstrong Prize for Choral Direction.

From 2004 to 2006, Will was the first Lascelles Scholar to the Amersham and Chesham Bois Choral Society, assisting in rehearsals and conducting part of the concerts. He is the Chorusmaster for Opera UK as well as being the director of the newly formed chamber choir, Capricorn. He becomes Musical Director of the Henley Choral Society, Conductor of the Damon Singers and Conductor of the Cappella Singers of Upminster in September 2006.

In May 2006, Will conducted the Choir of London in their tour of Israel and Palestine, conducting concerts with several local choirs in the Galilee, Ramallah and also at St Anne's Church, Jerusalem. He stepped in at very short notice to conduct the 50th anniversary concerts of the Jerusalem Chorus when their Palestinian Conductor was turned back from an Israeli checkpoint.

Outside of London, he is the director of Edinburgh Camerata with which he has conducted works ranging from Penderecki Stabat Mater to Parry Songs of Farewell as well as Rachmaninov All Night Vigil and the Martin Mass for double choir. He recently made his debut with the RAM Chamber Choir, the Rodolfus Choir and the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain.

As a singer, Will made his debut with the Dunedin Consort in 2002 and with the Oxford Camerata in 2006 and has appeared as a soloist with the Scottish Chamber Choir, Edinburgh Symphony Baroque and the National Youth Choir of Great Britain. In London, he can often be seen singing with the Choirs of St Peter's, Eaton Square, and the Choir of London. Recent solo highlights include Adams The Wound Dresser, Barber Dover Beach, Orff Carmina Burana and Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols.