The Finlay Method

04/08/2026

It sure has been a long time since I’ve made a video… I feel one coming on soon!

🤔

09/15/2025

This Saturday, exclusively at The Finlay Method!

Meet my amazing colleague Chetan Tierra, founder and director of the San Diego Piano Academy and creator of the popular online course Master Your Practice. Chetan has proven himself as a fierce competitor in the world's most prestigious piano competitions, including Van Cliburn, Queen Elizabeth, Jose Iturbi, Seoul, Hilton Head, and New Orleans. He has put together one of the smartest, no-nonsense approaches to practice I've encountered, and it has helped countless pianists improve their technique, learn more repertoire faster, and perform with greater confidence. He gives specific, actionable steps that work for anyone regardless of level. You don't want to miss this one, folks! It's September 20th, 11am, on Zoom.

Tickets available at

08/22/2025

HAPPENING TOMORROW! 8/23 @11 Central. Tickets at www.finlaymethod.com/tickets

Saturday morning at 11am CT, I will be hosting a fabulous pianist and teacher and all around great guy for my workshop series. Alex McDonald will offer his insights into the technical challenges posed in the music of Franz Liszt and offer a virtual masterclass with live feedback for performing participants.

Dr. McDonald was a top prizewinner at both the New Orleans and Gina Bachauer Piano Competitions and competed in the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. A graduate of NEC and Juilliard, he is the former artistic director of the Basically Beethoven Festival in Dallas and is a sought-after pedagogue whose students have gone on to Juilliard, Eastman, and other top conservatories.

What makes Dr. McDonald truly stand out is the clarity and depth he brings to teaching—shaped by outstanding artistry and informed by his personal journey through injury and recovery. He’s become a leading voice in technique and injury prevention, and I can’t wait to host him!

Virtual Piano Technique Masterclass with Dr. Alexander McDonald

🎹 Next Workshop: August 23rd: Guest Presenter Dr. Alex McDonaldWith a special presentation on the music of Liszt → Save Your Spot Now

08/15/2025

Virtual Technique Masterclass with Dr. Alexander McDonald
August 23rd at 11am

I am honored and excited to host my friend Dr. Alexander McDonald, a spectacular pianist and teacher who will be presenting a special talk on avoiding injury and surmounting technical challenges in the music of Franz Liszt. Tickets available at www.finlaymethod.com/tickets.

Dr. Alex McDonald was a top prizewinner at both the New Orleans and Gina Bachauer Piano Competitions and competed in the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. A graduate of NEC and Juilliard, he serves as director of the Basically Beethoven Festival in Dallas and is a sought-after pedagogue whose students have gone on to Juilliard, Eastman, and other top conservatories.

What makes Dr. McDonald truly stand out is the clarity and depth he brings to teaching — shaped not only by great artistry, but also by his personal journey through injury and recovery. He’s become a leading voice in the field of technique and injury prevention, and I can’t wait to host him a week from Saturday!

07/16/2025

EVENT POSTPONED TO AUGUST 23RD at 11am!

This Saturday at 11am, I am excited to host my friend Dr. Alexander McDonald, a spectacular pianist and teacher who will be presenting a special talk on surmounting technical challenges in the music of Franz Liszt. Tickets available at www.finlaymethod.com/tickets

Dr. Alex McDonald was a top prizewinner at both the New Orleans and Gina Bachauer Piano Competitions and competed in the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. A graduate of NEC and Juilliard, he serves as director of the Basically Beethoven Festival in Dallas and is a sought-after pedagogue whose students have gone on to Juilliard, Eastman, and other top conservatories.

What makes Dr. McDonald truly stand out is the clarity and depth he brings to teaching — shaped not only by great artistry, but also by his personal journey through injury and recovery. He’s become a leading voice in the field of technique and injury prevention, and I can’t wait to host him this Saturday!

07/11/2025

Quick Octave Tip in Stravinsky's Petrushka. Intrigued? Watch the full lesson on YouTube

06/21/2025

First official day as an Interlochen faculty member.

This place shaped me in more ways than I can count. I spent the better part four years here as a middle school and high school student—first as a camper, then at the Academy. It was here that I grew into myself as a musician, formed lasting friendships, and discovered the kind of work and wonder I wanted to build my life around.

In a poetic twist of fate, I’ve been assigned to teach in the very same piano studio where I had my own lessons all those years ago.

Coming back now, not as a student but as a teacher, feels amazing. I’m honored, grateful, and excited for what’s ahead.

06/11/2025

This Saturday!

My wonderful friend and colleague Dr. Alexander Wasserman will be sharing his failsafe system for learning pretty much any piece of music as quickly as possible. How to go from zero to memorized in as little time as possible! Here is a tiny taste. Join us on Saturday for the full workshop!

05/02/2025

https://youtu.be/_4oVcJyOI8g

CRUNCH TIME!
Do you feel it? That jury/recital season pressure?

Do you often find yourself having to learn a lot of music in a very short time? If you earn any of your income as a collaborative pianist, there’s a 100% chance the answer is yes. The reality is that tight deadlines come for all of us eventually. The question is: how do you meet the moment?

This video shares quick, practical tips for sizing up a project, balancing triage with full coverage, stacking efficient practice strategies, and protecting your hands in the process. These are field-tested techniques to help you make real progress—fast—without burning out.

🎹 This is just a preview of my full masterclass:
How to Cram Without Fear or Pain
🗓 Saturday, May 17 @ 11am CDT
🎟 Save your spot now: https://finlaymethod.com/tickets

If you’ve ever said yes to a last-minute gig and immediately regretted it… this video is for you.I’m Dr. Michael Finlay, and on Saturday, May 17 at 11am Cent...

04/18/2025

Ever catch yourself thinking way too hard on stage?
Like you’re trying to control every note with your brain alone?
Did it work?

That was me for years—trying my hardest to think my way out of problems on stage… and getting precisely nowhere with that strategy.

I just released a new resource on performance psychology for my mailing list—how to play your best without overthinking, and how to deal with imposter syndrome when it shows up (because it always does).

If this sounds like something you—or someone you teach—could benefit from, grab the free PDF here:
www.tinyurl.com/5psychtips

P.S. Shout out to Noa Kageyama, whose Bulletproof Musician courses helped me make sense of what was happening in my head and onstage—and gave me real tools to work through it.
This guide pulls together a fraction of what I’ve learned from his work, plus my own hard-earned experience with nerves, self-doubt, and learning to let go. Anyone interested in this topic should check him out.

04/16/2025

New Blog Post: How to Acquire X-Ray Vision at the Piano

Ever wish you could see what was going wrong in your technique—not just feel tension and try to fix it with guesswork?

In my latest blog post, I explain how even a small amount of anatomical knowledge can give you “x-ray vision” at the piano.

This has been one of the most important mindset shifts in my own journey—and it’s made me a better teacher, too.

👉 Read the full post: www.finlaymethod.com/xrayvision

Curious to dive deeper? My next workshop is coming up on May 17, and we’re tackling a topic I think we all need from time to time: how to CRAM for a last-minute gig.