Born Naomi Granatstein in Toronto, Yanova began her professional training as a pianist at the Hambourg Conservatory of Music in her native city.
[1] In 1943 she recorded George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue for radio broadcast with the Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra being led by conductor Andre Kostelanetz.
[4] In 1939 Yanova joined the piano faculty of the Toronto College of Music; teaching there through 1944.
She also worked as an editor for the publisher Ginn & Company; editing music texts written for schools from 1965 through 1969.
[1] A portrait of Yanova painted by Paraskeva Clark is in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada.