Brass band
Dobson also works as a freelance conductor and is well known for his work with youth ensembles and players. His conducting led him to coach many of London's championship standard bands, taking him nationwide, as well as to Norway for the Norwegian Brass band championships in the NM 2008–11 and Switzerland. He worked with former national youth champions Mount Charles Youth Band, as well as the Devon County Youth band and the Cornwall Youth Brass Band, for whom he wrote his composition "Penlee".