Marja Gaynor

Viola
(Finland / Republic of Ireland)

Cork-based Finn Marja Gaynor is a versatile and much in demand violin and viola player freelancing with leading Early Music groups in Ireland and Europe. She is a member of Irish Baroque Orchestra and Camerata Kilkenny, and has worked with Ensemble Marsyas, Dunedin Consort, The King’s Consort, Helsinki Baroque Orchestra and other European period groups. 

Apart from her career as a Baroque player, Marja is passionate about new music and has contributed to the Irish contemporary music scene by premiering numerous new works. She is also much sought after as an arranger, studio musician and collaborator in all genres. A landmark project was her critically acclaimed arrangement of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, which drew on various areas of her musical expertise: 17th century music, modern folk and traditional music, and improvisation. She also arranged and played the strings for ‘Falling Slowly’, Oscar winner for best song in 2008. Marja was Artistic Director of East Cork Early Music Festival from 2013 to 2015, and has also guest-curated the Kaleidoscope Night concert series. She teaches Baroque violin, viola and chamber music in CIT Cork School of Music.