Michael Finlay is a highly acclaimed solo pianist and chamber musician most recently invited to perform at the Dame Myra Hess series in Chicago. He is a 2022 prizewinner of The American Prize Ernst Bacon Memorial Award. He maintains an active performing schedule with recent performances in Catania (Italy), Montreal, Toronto, Austin, San Antonio, Denver, and Atlanta. His performances have been broadcast on classical radio stations in Austin, Cleveland, Baltimore, and Montreal. An avid chamber musician, Finlay has performed with members of the Cleveland, Chicago, and Montreal Symphony orchestras as well as with members of the Catalyst, Kontras, and Koerner quartets. His recent concert with cellist Jean Hatmaker was hailed as “sensitive, commanding” by WFMT, Chicago classical radio station.

Upcoming projects include live-streamed performances of the complete Beethoven violin sonata cycle with Denver-based violinist Byron Hitchcock and an all-Chopin album featuring the second and third piano sonatas and assorted shorter works, for release in 2023.

Finlay began his piano studies with Kathryn Mishell in Austin, TX. He left home at the age of 15 to study at the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy on a full scholarship. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music where he worked with Paul Schenly, Antonio Pompa-Baldi, and Kathryn Brown; a Master’s from the Peabody Conservatory, where he studied with Yong Hi Moon; and a Doctorate from the University of Montreal, where he studied with Marc Durand.