Dawson Hartman was born and raised in the cities of Ann Arbor and Dundee, Michigan. He began studying French Horn in the 5th grade under the guidance of his teacher, Melanie Hellick. For his last two years of high school, he also studied under Professor Andrew Pelletier at Bowling Green State University. Dawson went on to pursue degrees in French Horn Performance and Electrical Engineering at the University of Michigan, graduating in Fall 2023. He has held the positions of 4th Horn in the Lansing Symphony and 2nd Horn in the Jackson Symphony, while also subbing with the Ann Arbor and Adrian Symphonies.

When Dawson is not playing his French Horn, he enjoys playing card games, hiking difficult trails, and playing pickleball. He also has a love for water and winter sports, which he learned to do in northern Michigan.