Music as a Bridge Between Generations
Today, Anna Smerdova is a twelve-year-old pianist with international renown, a laureate of more than fifteen competitions in ten countries. But despite all her successes, she remains a humble girl who recognizes the value of her musical heritage.
“Music is like a bridge,” says Anna. “A bridge between me and my great-great-grandfather, whom I never knew, but I feel him in every note he wrote. A bridge between the past and the future. And I am happy to be part of this story.”
When Anna sits at the piano, with her hands ready on the keys, she often pauses for a moment and closes her eyes. In such moments, it’s as if she hears the whisper of her great-great-grandfather Josef and feels the loving touch of Grandmother Eva on her shoulders. And then she begins to play – with passion and understanding that transcend her age, with talent that is a gift from her ancestors, but which she has developed through her own diligence and love for music.
And so continues the story of a musical family that began in the mining town of Příbram in the 19th century and is now conquering concert halls around the world. The story of Anna Smerdova, a girl in whose fingers lives the legacy of generations and whose music connects the past with the future.