Hey!

There are things that will never change while others always do. Our categories remain the same while each and every artist we discover or rediscover brings new impulses and inspiration. With the exception of our anniversary editions, in which we have spoken more intensively with particular guitarists in order to focus on a special topic, it is always important to us not to double up the categories with one person. Today, however, we make an exception, and this is due to the fact that Merce Font, founder of the MFA Academy and one of the biggest experts in online teaching, right after we sent her our request for an interview on that very same topic, published a Bach video that we simply found very, very inspiring. That's why Merce is represented in both categories today, and rightly so.

But now have fun reading and checking out all the great music!

Stefan und Willi

YOUTUBE FIND OF THE WEEK
with Merce Font

“Precision is beautiful” says Merce in the interview, and precision is also the first attribute that immediately comes to mind despite all the beauty of this interpretation of the Allegro from Bach's second violin sonata. The articulation here is so wonderfully spot-on. To be precise, it is above all the precision with which Merce plays the dotted sixteenths of the main motif, which are later repeated, sequenced and varied, that has such a beneficial effect here.

Merce's interpretation of her arrangement has an unagitated lightness, a virtuosity that does not impose itself, and an inner satisfaction arises when listening, because despite the tempo, she retains the Allegro’s structural clarity. It reminds us of the view we have from a mountain top on a clear day: everything spreads out before us and every detail blends into the overall impression without disturbing it. We are impressed and recommend watching the video in the morning. It has an organizing effect and brings a wonderful clarity.

ALBUM OF THE WEEK
with Dale Kavanagh

To be honest: when researching new releases, we sometimes miss a gem or two. This one, however, found its way into our hands, although it took a little while. Maybe it was the album title: Dale Kavanagh & Friends doesn't sound like a classic title for a classical guitar album. But it did grab our attention. We think Dale Kavanagh had a great idea here not to record her own compositions exclusively by herself or with her Amadeus Guitar Duo, but to share them with friends in different line-ups! You can also notice a certain feel-good atmosphere in the recordings, which seems to fuel a musical dialog with depth. It’s one of those special albums to dive into and get carried away. The movie in your mind's eye starts in sync with the play button!

We are huge fans of finding inspiration in special places. That's why we were particularly fond of “The Ghost of Peggy's Cove”. We really were beamed to Canada for a moment. To a place steeped in history. It's a moving piece that on the one hand brings the past to the present moment, and on the other radiates a kind of inner peace that you might feel in Peggy's Cove. What images come to mind when you listen to this piece?

We are delighted to have met Dale Kavanagh, her friends and her wonderful compositions.

MORNING-ROUTINE
A coffee with Leon Albert

Hi Leon, what’s the routine for this week?

Yet another emotion as a title, or rather a whole cocktail of emotions. Jealousy is not a welcome guest at the Alberts’ indeed. Fortunately, it shows up extremely rarely, but if it does, it can lurk everywhere and haunt me. The best way to deal with it is to look at it and to write strange music to distract me. With this piece, you can practise playing something that doesn't actually fit the guitar very well and neither is too comfortable for the fingers. After all, we come across things like this out there from time to time.

KNOW-HOW
with Merce Font

Merce Font is not only a very skilled guitarist – she has also built an online academy that fulfills more than you could wish for when it comes to online lessons.

When we talked to her it became crystal clear that she’s not the person for Netflix and chilling. She has a mission and that is to provide the biggest possible value for her students at MFA Academy. We talked online lessons and we have to say we are once more blown away from how versatile the guitar community is and how much know-how there is.

Thank you, Merce, for taking the time to answer our questions.

Hi Merce! What do you see as the main advantages of teaching online compared to in-person lessons?
The most meaningful lessons are the ones we wish we could revisit with today’s ears. You walk out inspired, full of insight – but over time, the details blur. You remember the feeling, not the words. Online changes this completely. My students build their own library of annotated sessions, replays, and analysis they can revisit anytime – whether they’re learning a piece now or retaking it years later. And when they return with more experience, those same lessons speak differently – what once felt advanced becomes accessible, and deeper layers of interpretation start to emerge.

How do you approach technical work online, especially things like tone production or hand positioning?
Multi-camera angles help students see clearly – but technique goes beyond angles. Outside regular lessons, we do focused sessions where they perform what they’ve practiced with full attention. We isolate specific movements, refine details, and adapt intensity and repetitions until we find each student’s sweet spot. We vary the exercises together, challenge limits carefully, and every step is saved – videos, scores, notes – so they can revisit and deepen their technique over time. This lets lessons stay musical, while technical work becomes a structured, evolving journey.

Could you share a moment where a student made real artistic progress in an online lesson – something that really stayed with you?
It’s happened many times, with music as varied as Giuliani, Bach, or Ponce – when students arrive focused on playing as cleanly and correctly as they can, always through the technique lens. But then we explore the structure, the composer’s choices, and what they open up interpretively – and something shifts. You see it on their face, like many doors opening all together. Suddenly, it’s not about being correct, but about expressing something. A large bit of their stress fades, the playing gains personality and direction. That moment, when they realize there’s space to be themselves within the music – That spark, that joy, it always stays with me.

Is there an artistic project you dream of realizing – maybe a specific album, collaboration, or concept you’ve been thinking about for a while?
Right now, I’m not chasing a grand artistic dream – I’m focused on the work I can do today: recording singles, producing videos, and nurturing my academy, which is growing and evolving constantly. I'd love to release at least one more single this year, but with everything I’m building behind the scenes, that’s already a big challenge. Sometimes the project is just staying consistent – creating quietly, meaningfully – and trusting that the next chapter will unfold when it’s time.

Imagine you could have one sentence printed on a poster to be put up in huge numbers at all the (classical) music festivals in the world. What sentence would that be?
Precision is beautiful, but honesty is unforgettable.

More about Merce: https://www.mercefont.com/

FEEL-GOOD TUNE OF THE WEEK
with Moses Yoofee Trio

An upbeat and positive melody! It makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning. Or take a look at the sky in the middle of the day. Stress? Bad news? Put on your headphones, let your hair blow in the wind and jump on the good mood train!

Our feel-good tune of the week!

OUTRO

Thank you so much for reading! We'll be listening to a lot of music the next few weeks and we recommend the same to you – as well as we recommend our newsletter playlist (link below), because there's so much new and beautiful stuff on there that we've discovered recently.

Be good to each other and stay tuned!

Stefan & Willi

New Classical Guitar is a newsletter by Willi Leinen and Stefan Degel from TMBM. You can find our music and more information about our journey at http://t-m-b-m.com/.

On Spotify, we curate a playlist with our favorite pieces. Feel free to follow our New Classical Guitar Playlist at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ZwxJRAsW9Zs2JiS2eLy6a?si=9b2a737f01c043a4 and recommend new additions.