When concert pianist Dr. Michael Finlay steps onstage, listeners hear more than dazzling sound; they hear the outcome of a lifelong investigation into how the body, brain, and imagination conspire to make music. That same curiosity now guides the Finlay Method, a science‑informed approach to piano technique that is helping students—from ambitious teens to seasoned professionals—play with greater ease, color, and confidence.
Developed by Dr. Finlay after two decades of research and experimentation, the Finlay Method marries scientific insight with musical imagination. It weaves together biomechanics, anatomy, neuroscience, and three influential pedagogical traditions: the analytical clarity of the Taubman Approach, the singing tone of the Russian School, and Marc Durand’s emphasis on whole‑body coordination. Current movement‑science research turns these concepts into practical tools that pianists can feel at the keyboard.
Central to the approach is the idea that fingers function best as the endpoint of a coordinated system involving the arms, torso, and even legs. When bones bear weight and joints align efficiently, muscles are free to move—expanding tonal palette while reducing fatigue. “Effortless playing isn’t about willing yourself to relax,” Finlay explains. “You can’t relax your way into coordinated movement—relaxation is what you feel once the body is aligned and working together.”
Before a single note sounds, students are taught to conjure a vivid inner soundtrack—blending auditory, tactile, and gestural imagery. Neuroscience‑based practice techniques then link that mental script to physical execution, turning intention into reliable reflex. Because the method prioritizes balanced muscular workload, it naturally guards against the repetitive‑strain injuries all too common in the profession; principles drawn from sports medicine and performing‑arts health are embedded in every exercise.
Finlay traces the roots of his philosophy to a revelatory summer at the 2003 Bowdoin International Music Festival. Under the guidance of Julian Martin and Yong Hi Moon, small but precise cues—a touch on the elbow, a penciled diagram, a flick of the wrist—made once‑intractable passages suddenly effortless. “That’s when I realized my toughest struggles weren’t about effort or talent—they were about missing information,” he recalls. “Targeted guidance achieved more in minutes than years of practice.” The insight spurred a quest to close that information gap—for himself and, later, for his students—and eventually crystallized into the Finlay Method.
Pianists report immediate, measurable gains. “The presentation was fascinating and gave me so much to practice and think about. I noticed instant improvement on passages I’d been struggling with after applying the methodology,” says Ben Alwes, a Chicago‑based pianist. Diana Cusano, a 2028 Van Cliburn Amateur competitor, adds, “Michael’s masterclass was fantastic—packed with practical insights I could apply immediately to my practice.”
Raised in Austin, Texas, Finlay left home at fifteen to attend Interlochen Arts Academy, later earning degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Peabody Conservatory, and the University of Montréal. This summer he returned to northern Michigan as a newly appointed piano faculty member at Interlochen Arts Camp, teaching privately in the High School Piano Division and leading daily technique classes.
Based on Chicago’s North Side, Finlay offers in‑person lessons for local students and online instruction worldwide via Zoom. Monthly Finlay Method workshops (next session June 14, 2025) give pianists everywhere a chance to experience the approach firsthand through lecture‑demonstrations and live feedback.
With a forthcoming book, a video course, and the Interlochen appointment on the horizon, Finlay is poised to help shape the next chapter of piano pedagogy. Yet his mission remains personal: “I want every pianist—whether eleven or sixty‑five—to know that great technique is learnable, and that artistry grows when the body feels free.”
For workshop registration, lesson inquiries, or free resources, visit finlaymethod.com and michael‑finlay.com, or follow @finlaymethod on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
