Nadia Ilardi, founder and owner of Nadia School of musi?, was born and raised in Russia and became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 2006. She comes from a family of musicians and began playing the piano at the age of 5. She attended eight years of music school before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree as a Music Teacher (a specific degree in Russia) from the Stavropol Music College, where she was trained in the Russian system of piano education. She began teaching in a Russian music school in 1998, and in 2001 emigrated to the United States. She started the Nadia School of Music in 2003.

Nadia, a piano concertmeister herself (i.e., professionally trained to accompany orchestras, choirs, singers, and other performers), personally trains her instructors to follow the “Russian system of methodics.” Her qualifications include:

• 16 years of teaching experience in Russia and Virginia
• A graduate of Stavropol Music College
• Performance experience with the Stavropol Symphony Orchestra and numerous regional competitions
• A member of the National Federation of Music Clubs and the Williamsburg Music Club
• Was a staff member at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Newport News, VA, as the choir's accompaniment pianist from 2006-2011.