Mary Reynolds began her training with Vlado Kolitsch in her hometown of Riverside, California. She continued her studies at California State University at Fullerton, the University of Southern California and received her master's degree at the State University of New York at Binghamton. She has been coached by the acclaimed soloist Camilla Wicks. Honors she received at USC include Outstanding Orchestra Player Award, Friends of Music Scholarship and Outstanding Chamber Music Player. She was a member of the San Antonio and Pasadena (California) symphonies before joining the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 1977.