Meet Jonny
Guitarist, mentor, and performer,
turning resilience into rhythm
and passion into sound.
Passion
Jonny Dosé’s story is one of resilience, passion, and relentless pursuit of music. Born into a home filled with Gospel and Jazz, he was captivated by the guitar from the age of four. With no instrument of his own, he built makeshift guitars from Castrol tins, wood, and elastic bands, a sign of the ingenuity and determination that would define his career. By fourteen, inspired by the electrifying sound of Jimi Hendrix, Jonny began formal lessons, setting him on a lifelong path with the guitar.
Perseverance
At nineteen, he committed fully to becoming a professional musician, studying under Cape Town guitarist Richard Pryor for three years. He honed his craft across genres, performing regularly in his church band and absorbing the discipline of live performance. But at twenty‑three, Jonny faced a devastating setback: carpal tunnel syndrome in his left hand. Surgery at twenty‑six worsened the condition, forcing him into years of rehabilitation. Many would have walked away, but Jonny refused. After two and a half years of physiotherapy, he rebuilt his technique and returned stronger, proving that perseverance can overcome even the hardest obstacles.
Perfection
By twenty-nine, Jonny was performing professionally, collaborating with South African artists such as Richard Stirton, Amy Tjasink, Carla Low, Michael Louwman, and PS Quint. His talent and dedication earned him endorsements from Blackstar Amplification and DiMarzio pickups, cementing his reputation as a guitarist of note.
Always looking to grow, Jonny continued developing his playing through further study, including lessons with Berklee-trained guitarist Mike Bester. Since January 2024, he has been studying under internationally renowned guitarist, teacher and mentor Tom Hess, who continues to coach him both as a guitarist and as a guitar teacher.
As a member of the Electric Guitar Teachers Inner Circle, Jonny receives ongoing training and coaching in how to teach more effectively, help students overcome challenges faster, and continually improve the results, support and value his students receive.
Precision
Jonny’s influences span legends like Joe Satriani, Guthrie Govan, and Johnny Hiland, alongside jazz greats John Coltrane and Dizzy Gillespie, and country virtuoso Brent Mason. This eclectic mix shapes his unique style — a fusion of precision, soul, and energy that electrifies audiences. Whether on stage or in the studio, Jonny’s playing reflects both his technical command and his emotional connection to music.
Philosophy
Beyond performance, Jonny is deeply committed to teaching. His philosophy is simple: great guitar teaching isn’t just about showing students what to play — it’s about helping them develop the skills to actually play it.
Drawing on his own experiences as a guitarist, together with his ongoing training as a teacher, Jonny continually refines the way he teaches and trains his students. He identifies what is holding each student back, breaks challenges into manageable steps, and gives them the focused training, feedback and support they need to move forward.
His goal is to help students build real skill, gain confidence in their playing and make measurable progress towards becoming the guitarists they want to be — while continuing to enjoy the journey along the way.
Professional
Today, Jonny Dosé brings together every part of his journey as a teacher, coach, mentor, guitarist and performer through Horizon Guitar School. His experience on professional stages has given him a deep understanding of what it takes to develop real skill, while his battles with perfectionism and injury have taught him patience, resilience and how to guide students through frustration and setbacks.
Jonny does more than show students what to play. He gives them clear direction, Gives solutions to the challenges holding them back, and coaches them towards becoming confident, capable guitarists. His ongoing development as both a player and a teacher means that the training methods, support and overall experience he gives his students continue to improve.
That combination of professional experience, continual growth and genuine investment in himself and his students defines Horizon Guitar School: A place where students have fun! Receive the guidance and training they need to make real progress and play the music they have always wanted to play.
See what Jonny offers
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