A Commercial Music graduate from Bath Spa Uni has been commissioned to compose and perform a guitar battle for a TV advertisement for loan company Wonga.
Fingerstyle guitarist Mike Dawes graduated from Bath Spa’s BA (Hons) Commercial Music course in 2011 and has forged a successful career in the music industry.
In the advert Mike appears as a CGI pensioner named Earl who performs alongside another acoustic fingerstyle guitarist called Ben Lapps.
Mike follows in the footsteps of other Bath Spa music graduates whose work has been used in TV advertising campaigns. Commercial Music graduate Chris Turpin, and Music graduate, Stephanie Ward are part of the band Kill It Kid whose track Run was used in an international Samsung Smart TV campaign.
Mike has been hailed as one of the world’s finest fingerstyle guitarists and toured with Justin Hayward as lead guitar player performing Moody Blues classics throughout the USA. He has also written for and been interviewed by a number of international music magazines.
His cover version of Somebody I used to Know by Gotye has had millions of hits on YouTube and is available to watch here.
Commenting on Mike’s exceptional skills, Subject Leader of Commercial Music, Nigel Beaham-Powell, said: “Mike’s musical talent is incredible. His ability to play guitar in such a manner makes him a standout performer. We are delighted to see him succeeding and enjoy watching the Wonga TV advert every time it is on.”
The Wonga advert is currently featuring on all major television channels.
Bath Spa University’s Commercial Music course has been running since 2001 and in that time has produced over 200 graduates.
The course is all about creation: songs, projects, bands and entrepreneurial ideas. In writing, designing, promoting, performing, researching, touring and launching creative material, students acquire a range of skills to broaden their future career choices.
More information about Mike including his tour dates is available here.