There seem to be two kinds of artists one encounters at a classical piano recital: The anguished soul who permits the audience to watch as he is tortured by the music... introverted, sweaty and pained, he finishes his piece beaten, bedraggled, a self-proclaimed martyr to the muse... Or, the extrovert, cocky and arrogant - the intent of his performance to instruct plebeians, scandalize the cognoscenti and declare once and for all the only right way to play.

        Probably the most startling thing about pianist, Christopher Finkelmeyer is that he is neither of these. A look at his history reveals why.

        While his pianistic life follows the classic form: child prodigy, honors, awards, prominent teachers, educated abroad... his background: small Wisconsin town, captain of the basketball team, middle son of 5 boys, Father a barber, Mother a homemaker, would seem more likely that of a carpenter than a world-class pianist.

        And yet, this very simplicity is at the heart of his artistry. Honest, intelligent, intuitive, his playing is, at once, forthright and refined. "Finkelmeyer not only has an outstanding technique, but his playing is virtually without idiosyncrasy, a well-blended amalgam of styles that can only be described as American." (Times Argus, Vermont)

        His character follows suit. Warm and genial, his down-to-earth manner and quick sense of humor draw the audience in, and keep them there until the last note is played. Says he "It's not enough for me to respect the music. Respecting the audience is as important. There was a time I didn't love classical music as I do now. I almost hated it. I didn't respect classical musicians and was most definitely bored by them. I'll never forget there are others at this moment who feel just as I did."

        While critics tout him "a virtuoso of both technical and emotional power", his audiences speak of exciting, moving programs which they understand and thoroughly enjoy.

        Serious music has comprised most of Finkelmeyer's Carnegie Recital Hall concerts, but he always looks forward to engagements such as the Arizona Sundome where transcriptions on contemporary music and novelty pieces can be included in his programming. He believes very strongly that each program should be especially selected for the audience according to when and where it will be heard, and looks forward to special considerations such as Children's Programming, "All American Recitals" and others.

        Although his previous residences have included New York City, where he studied at the Juilliard School and Vienna, Austria, where he studied under Paul Badura-Skoda at the Hochschule für Musik, when it came time last July, to "put down roots" and buy a home, he came back to Chicago, the city he learned to love while completing his undergraduate work at Northwestern University under Donald Isaak.