A pupil to Istvan Koloss (Budapest) and Jean Guillou (Paris), in 1978 Francesco Finotti won the First Prize at the "Franz Liszt" International Organ Competition in Budapest (Hungary).
He regularly performs at the most important organ and musical international Festivals, like the International Musical Weeks in Lucerne and Budapest, the Organ Festivals in Magadino (Switzerland), Tallin (Estonia), Lahti (Finland), Hamburg, Bielefeld, Wuppertal, Frankfurt, Kevelaer, Korschenbroich (Germany), Luxemburg, Paris/Festival Estival, Organ Concerts in Paris/Saint-Eustace and Notre Dame, Alp d'Huez (Grenoble), Organ Festivals in Ravenna San Vitale, Aosta, Rome, Morelia and Guadalajara (Mexico), Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Rotterdam, Breda, Kampen (the Netherlands).
He teaches Organ and Gregorian chant at "Cesare Pollini" Music Conservatory in Padova and at the Master Classes (Organ School) of the Romano Romanini Fundation in Brescia (Italy).
Dealing with the problems of modern organ designing and building, he makes innovative and quite unique instruments together with renowned organ manufacturers. His works are in St. John the Baptist's in Arzignano / Vicenza (Mascioni, II/15); Sacred Heart's in Busto Arsizio (Mascioni, II/24); State Music Conservatory in Rovigo (Mascioni, III/32); Padova Cathedral (Francesco Zanin, I/9 choral organ); Holy Spirit's in Paternò / Catania (Glatter-Götz, II/18); Church of the Istituto Pia Opera Assistenza in Sarmeola / Padova (Francesco Zanin, III/33); Parish Church in Costa di Val Imagna / Bergamo (Francesco Zanin, II/11).
He has supervised the restoration and functional recovery of big instruments, such as the "Tamburini/Bonato" organ of St. Lawrence's Cathedral in Abano Terme / Padova (III/65), where he is the honorary organist and art advisor for the Organ festival; the "Mauracher/Zeni" organ of Cortina d'Ampezzo Cathedral (III/54), where he also recorded a CD produced by "La Cooperativa di Cortina", Corso Italia – Cortina d'Ampezzo; the "Mascioni/Vegezzi Bossi" organ of the Philharmonic Hall in Trento (II/30).
He often serves on panels in important International Organ Competitions and he also performs chamber music, accompanying soloists on the piano or the harpsichord.
For "Edelweiss" (Venice), he has recorded a CD with works by Robert Schumann and Franz Liszt performed on the Tonhalle organ in Zurich. The most important European broadcasting companies put many radio recordings of his on air.
