Gaynor started to learn music at home aged 3, from her musician father.  She started formal violin lessons aged 8, and at 16 went to the Coventry School of Music, studying performance in violin, piano, singing and flute.

While living in Coventry, working in the Civil Service as a trade union officer, and raising her family, she enjoyed the local music scene of orchestras, big bands, jazz and blues bands and also played orchestral concerts in venues such as Birmingham Symphony Hall, The Royal Albert Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Vienna State Opera House and the Esterhazy Palace. Whilst playing violin with the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra for several years, she was encouraged to pursue a music degree by their conductor Michael Lloyd and also by jazz musicians Nikki Iles and Paul Bartholomew.  She moved to Glasgow in 2009 and joined the Graduate Diploma in Jazz course at St Andrews University and the Bachelor in Music (Hons) at Edinburgh Napier University, graduating 2013.

Gaynor is currently studying Masters in Music composition at the University of Edinburgh. She teaches and plays professionally in many of Glasgow’s big bands on saxophone and flute, and also violin and viola for a studio orchestra. She feels strongly about creating opportunities for community music making and directs a community Big Band, runs a ‘world music’ baby group and an adult beginners’ fiddle group in a Glasgow café.