Named a “one-woman dynamo” by the Boston Globe, she has built an internationally recognized practice that moves fluidly between concert halls, public spaces, and immersive environments. NPR’s All Things Considered captures her essence: “To call her a virtuoso marimba player, percussionist and artist is just not enough — she is basically an entire art scene herself.”
From reimagining Fenway Park as a percussive playground to writing and directing a Chamber Opera about our digital obsessions, her projects turn architecture into instruments and audiences into active participants. Recent works, including Former Self and Chameleon, merge virtuosic performance with generative visuals and sonified biodata, expanding the possibilities of the music and art experience.
Equally at home on global stages and experimental sites, Finkelmeier has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Smithsonian, and Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, with ensembles including Silkroad Ensemble, Baltic Sea Philharmonic, The Knights, Landmarks Orchestra, NEXUS, Sō Percussion, and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. Her practice is propelled by major awards and fellowships, with support from the Knight Foundation, the Boston Foundation, and the Brother Thomas Fellowship, among others. She’s been featured across major media and broadcast platforms, including CBS, WBUR, GBH, Boston Globe, Sun Sentinel, Oregon ArtsWatch, Broadway World, I Care if Your Listening, and National Parks Magazine.
An Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music and a Yamaha Performing Artist, Finkelmeier holds degrees from The Ohio State University and the Eastman School of Music. Whether directing immersive experiences, composing for the stage, or activating public space, her mission remains constant: to blend sound, light, and feeling into powerful, shared human experiences.