Vera IlyushinaArtist Affiliate: Violin

Dr. Vera Ilyushina was born in St. Petersburg, Russia and took her first music lessons at the age of 2. At the age of 7 she was accepted to the prestigious Special Music School of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, where she studied with V. Dobrynina, and later with S. Shalman.

Shortly after her graduation from the St. Petersburg Conservatory with a master’s degree in Violin Performance and Pedagogy (class of Prof. A. Shustin), she moved to the United States to continue her education at Stony Brook University, where she was awarded a full ride scholarship and teaching assistantship. There, she studied with the renowned violinist Lazar Gosman and received her Doctor of Musical Arts in Violin Performance in 2001.

After graduating, Dr. Ilyushina moved to Atlanta, where she won 2 year contracts with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. She was also an assistant concertmaster of Atlanta Opera. After a prolonged sabbatical raising her 3 boys, she went back to teaching and performing.  In 2009, she founded Lark Chamber Music, a chamber music group that plays recitals and performs classical music for private functions .From 2017 to 2023, always passionate to help the community Dr. Ilyushina served as a board member for the Atlanta Music Club, a non-profit organization created in 1904 to promote classical music in Atlanta. Dr. Vera Ilyushina has 29 years of teaching experience and enjoys teaching beginners and college students alike.  She has successfully prepared students for college auditions and competitions, with students auditioning into GYSO, EYSO, ASYO, All State Orchestra and prestigious conservatories around the US.

Currently Dr. Ilyushina maintains a busy schedule of teaching, coaching the GYSO String Symposium and String Quartet, performing with the ASO, playing solo recitals, and leading Lark Chamber Music.