A native of Seattle, Sylvan started cello studies at age four with her mother. In 1990 she moved to Connecticut to attend the Hartt School of Music where she received a BM in Cello Performance. In addition to co-founding the Wildwood Groups, she is a cello instructor and department head at the Suzuki Music School of Westport and a member of the Kenosia String Quartet of Stamford. Sylvan has studied with Ray Davis, principal cello of the Seattle Symphony, David Wells and Pamela Devenport of the Hartt School of Music, and Jeffery Solow of the Amadeus Trio and Temple University.