Born in Melbourne, Fintan completed further study with Helfried Fister in Cologne and Robert Gerle in Washington D.C. He was member of the Melbourne Symphony for many years and also a member of the Australian Elizabethan Trust Melbourne Orchestra.

Fintan is committed to research into string pedagogy and has given innumerable seminars and master classes in Australia and the Asia Pacific region. He has recorded seven DVD-ROMs including Sevcik Variations and the Violin Alive series. In 2008 Violin Bow Technique was launched at the AUSTA National Conference.

He has taught violin at the Victorian College of the Arts, (1989-1993), was Diamont Fellow in violin at the University of Melbourne (1993-1999) and appointed of Head of Strings at Monash University in 2000. He has been Head of Performance at Monash since 2004 and served as deputy head in 2008 Fintan is Chair of the Specialist Examining Panel for Strings for the Australian Music Examinations Board and Music Director of the Melbourne String Ensemble. He has worked closely with contemporary composers, editing and recording new works and recent CD’s include The Soul of the Viola and Bridges. Fintan is currently Head of Strings and Chair of Performance at Monash University.